


Xander: The Charmed, Season Two

by tella



Series: Xander The Charmed [3]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-28
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-01-26 22:44:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 47,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1705295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tella/pseuds/tella
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Season Two retold from a Xander/Angel POV.</p>
<p>When She Was Bad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Episode One: When She Was Bad

“Oh and there was this one that has like these green horns and it shots out this acidy like spit and why are you laughing at me?” Xander asked as Willow chuckled silently beside him.

They were walking home from a night at the Bronze, trying to enjoy what was left of their summer holiday.

“Nothing, it’s just your excitedly describing demons from your Book,” She shrugged, before saying, “I just…even after everything we’ve seen and done, it’s still hard to believe that this is our life now, especially with how we spent our last summer holiday.”

“Yeah, it's not exactly been the boring summers of before, has it.” Xander laughed.

“But on the plus, things have seemed to calm down some, just in time for school starting.” She said, excitedly.

“Your excited about school,” Xander laughed, “There’s a surprise.”

“Hey.” She smacked him on the arm.

“No, I like it. A part of me can’t wait for school to start back, as well.” Xander shrugged, “It’ll be something normal to focus on.”

“Yeah, I can understand that.” Willow smiled, “Plus Buffy should be back as well.”

They paused as Xander turned to her and asked, “Has she…did she ask anything about me?”

“I haven’t heard from her. A few postcards at the beginning of summer, then nothing. She probably just got busy with her dad in LA.” Willow said trying to reassure him.

“Yeah, probably.” Xander agreed, not very convincingly.

“I’m sure everything will be okay.” She said, trying again.

“I know.” He smiled at her hesitantly, before turning to start walking back home, only to jump back as a vampire jumped over the wall, knocking Xander and Willow to the ground in a tangled mess.

Xander struggled with the vampire, trying to untangle them and keep it away from Willow. Suddenly the vampire was lifted off of them. Xander looked up in time to see Buffy toss the vampire to the side before smirking at them before turning her attention back to the vampire.

“Hey guys,” she smirked at them, after having dusted the vampire, “Miss me.”

“Buffy.” Willow shouted happily as she scrambled up and rushed over and hugged her.

“Hey.” Buffy smiled as she hugged her back.

Xander waited until they had pulled back from each other before going in for his own hug, saying, “Your timing does not suck.”

“Hi.” she said coldly, not returning the hug and pulling out of Xander arms as soon as she could.

“When did you get back?” Willow asked, trying to break the sudden tension.

“Just now.” She said, as the three began to walk again, “We drove down. I dumped my stuff and decide to come and try and find you.”

“How was your summer? Did you slay anything?” Willow asked.

“No, just hung out with my dad. Did a lot of shopping.” She laughed, “What about you. How did you guys spend your summer?”

“It was quiet,” Xander said, ignoring Willows frown, “A few vampires here and there, but pretty quiet after we buried the Masters bones.”

“Oh.” Buffy shrugged.

“Yeah, it was kinda intense,” Willow said, “Xander got to perform his first spell and we got to wear robes and everything.”

They continued to walk on as Willow rambled about going back to school when she asked, “Have you been to see Giles?”

“Why would I do that? I’ll see him at school tomorrow.” She shrugged.

Willow nodded before asking, “Are you all set for school tomorrow?”

“Yeah, whole new wardrobe too.” She smirked.

As the two girls talked about Buffy’s holiday, shopping and going back to school, Xander trailed behind. He sighed as he realised that even after all these months Buffy still hadn’t gotten over the fact that Angel had chosen him. It was going to be an interesting year.

 

**** **** ****

 

“Xander get up you’re going to be late meeting Willow for school.” Angel said, leaning against the wall beside the bed.

“No, just five more minutes.” He mumbled, burying his head under the pillow.

“You said that five minutes ago, and five before that and before…” Angel smirked at Xander's groaning.

“Alright, alright,” He huffed, glaring at him as he sat, “I’m up.”

“Good,” Angel smirked at him, “Take a shower and I’ll make you some breakfast.”

“Pancakes?” Xander asked hopefully as he climbed out of the bed.

“Sure,” Angel smiled as he straightened up as Xander walked up to him, leaning in to place a quick kiss to Angel, murmuring “You’re the best.” Before dashing into the bathroom.

Angel chuckled as he made his way over to the small kitchen area and began making Xander his pancakes.

After a quick shower, he dressed and joined Angel in the kitchen just as he was putting a plate of pancakes on the table for him.

“Thanks.” He said, sitting down and began eating. Noticing that Angel stayed by the sink as he drank from his cup he asked, “You not gonna sit with me?”

“I… I wasn’t…it…” he stammered as he gestured at the cup of blood.

“Angel, you’re a vampire.” Xander shrugged, “I know your a vampire and that you drink blood. It’s okay, you can sit down.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.” Xander smiled, Angel smiled back as he sat down across from him, “You’re still coming to the library tonight, right?”

Angel nodded, “Do you want me to bring the Book?”

“No, I don’t feel comfortable with it out of the apartment.” Xander said.

“That’s understandable.” Angel said, “There’s a lot of magic there, a lot of history too.”

“Yeah,” Xander smiled at him, glad that Angel understood, he went back to his pancakes before saying, “Buffy came back last night.”

“Yeah?”

“I… she…I think she’s still mad at me…”

“Xander…”

“I know…I know…you and her was never gonna happen,” Xander sighed, “It’s just…she was my friend and I want that back.”

 “You know that may never happen right?” Angel asked softly, frowning worriedly at him.

“I know, I do.” Xander sighed, “I just...”

They finished their breakfast in silence and then Xander left to go and meet Willow before going to school.

 

****

 

He was walking down the school corridor with Willow, Buffy trailing quietly behind them as they spotted Giles and Ms Calendar.

“Giles.” Willow said, waving excitedly at him, as they made their way over to them.

“Hey, G-man.” Xander nodded at him.

“Nice to see you all.” Giles smiled at them before turning to Xander saying, “Don’t ever call me that again.”

“Hi, guys.” Ms Calendar smiled at them.

“Hi.” Willow waved as Xander smiled and nodded at her.

“Hello Buffy,” Giles smiled at her, “How are you?”

“Alive and kicking.” She shrugged.

“Buffy killed a vampire last night.” Willow exclaimed.

After looking around to make sure no one had heard, Buffy said, “I think you can get a little more volume if you speak from the diaphragm.”

“Sorry.” She smiled sheepishly.

“I thought the hell mouth was closed?” Ms Calendar asked quietly.

“Closed, yes but not gone,” Giles answered, “The energies coming off it still attract the supernatural.”

“Which means that Sunnydale is still supernatural party central.” Xander smirked.

“I wonder if there here for a reason?” Giles asked absently.

“You’re the Watcher. I just work here.” Buffy shrugged.

“Yes, well I will consult my books.” Giles said, excitedly.

“Ha, eight minutes and ten seconds,” Xander laughed at Willow, he explained at their puzzled looks, “I called ten minutes before you’d have to consult your books about something.”

The bell rings interrupting them.

“We’d better get to class.” Willow smiled, tugging Xander sleeve as she turned and began walking away, Buffy following them.

“Buffy,” Giles called out, waiting until she stopped and turned back to look at him before saying, “I…when you’re ready, we should begin your training again…”

“I’m ready. I’ll see you after school.” She said, turning to walk away, pausing as Giles spoke.

“I’ll understand if you want a few days to wait…”

“I said I’m ready.” She said, walking away.

Leaving Giles to stare after her concerned.

 

****

 

Xander was seated at the library table. Angel was running late so Xander had decided to do some research on the demon Belthazor.  So far they hadn’t been able to find anything on the demon besides what was already in his Book of Shadows. So, rather than focusing on the demon he decided to concentrate on the powers that were mentioned.  

He was vaguely aware of Giles standing up at the banister as he watched Buffy begin her training. He looked up in concern at the worried tone as Giles called out.

“Buffy!”

He turned to look at Buffy and frowned as Buffy began to punch the wooden post, increasing intensity, her fist flying as she concentrated.

“Buffy…I think…I think that’s enough…” Giles called, growing more worried.

At last she pulled back and with all her strength she kicked the post, breaking it on half.

Breathing heavily, she panted, “I’m ready. Anything they want to throw at me, I’m ready.”

All three were lost in thought, jumping when Angel announced his presence in the library.

Buffy turned to him and smiled at him, “Hi, Angel.”

“Buffy.” He nodded at her before he turned Xander and asked, “You ready to go?”

Xander nodded, turning to Giles he asked, “Hey, Giles can I borrow this?” as he held up a small old book, “I promise to take care of it, bring it right back after I’ve finished.”

“Yes, just be careful with it.” He answered, never taking his eyes off of Buffy, who hadn’t stopped staring at Angel.

“Thanks,” He said as he packed up his thinks, placing the book carefully in his backpack, “Angel and I’ll take the west side of town. You and Buffy okay with the rest?”

“Yes, that will be fine.” Giles nodded, talking over Buffy as she began to protest.

“Great, see you guys tomorrow.” He said with a small wave as he and Angel walked out of the library.

“Who put him in charge?” Buffy muttered bitterly, glaring after the two.

“Xander and Angel have both done remarkably well in protecting this town while you were away on holiday.” Giles said.

“I just bet they did.” She muttered as she strode out of the library, leaving a weary and worried Watcher behind.

 

****

 

“So, when did you get to the library?” Xander asked, “Cause that was intense. The way Buffy was pummelling that wooden post, right?”

“Yeah, I saw that.” Angel agreed.

“Should we be worried?” Xander asked.

“I…I don’t know.” Angel shrugged, “But I’m sure Giles will keep an eye on her.”

“Yeah, I suppose.” Xander agreed.

They walked on in a comfortable silence until Angel remembered the book and asked, “What was the book you took?”

“Oh, it was a book about rare demonic powers,” Xander explained, “I’m hoping there might be something in it about shimmering?”

“Good call.” Angel smiled at him.

“It’s been quiet the past few days and with the vampire we killed last night do you think something big is coming?”

“This is Sunnydale, The Hellmouth.” Angel shrugged, “There will always be something.”

“True.” Xander nodded, sadly.

 

****

 

“So, how was last night?” Willow asked as they walked to join Buffy at the lounge.

“It was quiet. No vamps.” Xander said as they sat down on the couches. Willow sitting down beside Buffy and he sat across from them, he asked her, “How was your nightly patrol?”

“Buffy…Buffy…” Willow tried when they got no response.

“I’m fine…I’m fine.” She said, snapping out of her daze.

“What were you thinking about?” Willow asked her.

“Nothing.”

“Come on you can tell us?” Willow teased.

“It was nothing.” She shrugged, insisting, “I wasn’t thinking about anything.”

Xander shrugged as she and Willow talked amongst themselves as he and Willow swapped their lunches and Buffy continued to ignore him. Spotting Giles walking towards them Buffy stood up and asked, “What’s wrong? You look worried?”

“The vampire that you meet last night, “Giles said, “I think I know what they’re up to.”

“Okay, we’ll deal with it.” She reassured him.

“I hope it’s that simple.” Giles sighed.

“We’ll make it that simple.” She said, “Trust me.”

“Oh I don’t know. I killed you once. I should be able to kill you again.”

“What?” She frowned at him, beginning to get scared.

Giles punches her, sending her sprawling onto the coffee table. Before she can move Giles is on her and grabbing her by the throat. She claws at his face, only to pull off a mask revealing the face of the Master.

Buffy awakes with a start, gasping and sweating. Sitting up trying to get her heart beat under control she frowns as she senses someone else in her room. Turning to the window she sighs and asks, “What are you doing here?”

“You left LA without saying goodbye.”

“I thought it was for the best.” She shrugged.

“The best.” He snapped, “Buffy I thought we had something special.”

“Special.” She scoffed, “We only knew each other for a few days.”

“Right, my mistake.” He snapped, before climbing back out the window.

She sighed as she slumped back into her bed trying to get back to sleep.

 

**** **** ****

 

“You spent the night at Angels last night?” Willow asked as the three stood around Buffy’s locker as she gathered her books, “Was there kissing involved?”

“Oh grow up Willow. Not everyone wants to hear this.” Buffy snapped as she slammed her locker shut.

“Ah…no there was …it was shop talk.” Xander said, breaking the sudden tension, before smirking at Willow, unable to resist as he added, “Well there may have been a little kissing.”

Willow laughed, ignoring Buffy’s glare as she asked, “What did he say?”

“Just that he thinks we might be right. About the vampire activity, something might be coming.” He shrugged.

“I’m sure it’s nothing I can’t handle.” Buffy said.

“Right, of course." Xander said, deciding to change the topic he said, "Hey Cibo Matto are gonna be at the Bronze tonight.” 

“Cibo Matto? They’re playing?” Willow asked excitedly.

“No they’ll be clog dancing.” He smirked at her.

“Cibo Matto clog …oh sarcasm, right.” She glared at him, smacking him playfully on the arm.

“So we should go. Have some fun?” Xander asked, throwing Buffy a hopeful look.

“Sounds like fun.” She muttered.

“Oh, look it the three musketeers.” Cordelia said as she walked up to them, causing them to frown at her in confusion.

“Was that an insult?” Buffy asked.

“If kinda lacked some punch.” Xander said.

“The musketeers were considered to be cool.” Willow offered.

“Right. I can see your point.” Cordelia frowned.

“I would have gone with stooges.” Xander offered, helpfully.

“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes, “I just meant your always hanging out together. So, did you fight any more demons over the summer?”

“Yep our own personal demons.” Willow said, loudly. “Such as lust and …”

“I would also have gone with Stooges.” Buffy said sarcastically.

“What are you talking about?” Cordelia snapped, “I’m talking about the big squiggly demons and the library.”

“Cordelia you mouth is opening. Sound is coming out. This is never good.” Buffy snapped.

Xander grabbed Cordelia’s arm and gently lead her away from the jocks and Cordettes that were nearby. Once he was sure they could talk without being overheard he said, “We can’t go around talking about that stuff in front of others”

“You haven’t been talking about this to other people have you?” Willow asked, concerned.

“Oh, please, just because I helped out over the summer once or twice does not mean I’m going to admit to spending time with you guys,” she scoffed, “ Beside I’m still having nightmares about that Master guy. He was so creepy.”

“Well that’s good then. You won’t tell anyone that I’m the slayer and I won’t tell anyone you’re a moron.” Buffy sneered and then walked off.

“Now that was an insult.” Xander said, shocked.

“A little too good.” Willow agreed, frowning worriedly.

“What is up with her?” Cordelia asked.

 

****

Cibo Matte were starting a new song as young girls and boys danced in front of the stage. Xander and Willow were sitting at the table watching the band as they waited for Buffy.

“Will Angel becoming?” Willow asked.

“Yeah, he said he might stop by later.” Xander said, “He was looking into something first.”

“About the vampire activity?”

“Yeah, he said he thinks something is coming. You know Angel, Mr Cryptic.” He moaned, jokingly.

“He’s just worried about you.” Willow said.

“I know.” Xander smiled, before asking, “So do you think we should be worried about Buffy?”

“She’s never acted like this before.” Willow nodded, “She’s never been mean.”

“Not to mention what happened in the library.” Xander added.

“What happened at the library?” Willow asked.

“It was… intense.” Xander said after he had explained what had happened.

“What do you think we should do?” She asked, concerned.

“I’m not sure.”

“There she is.” Willow said looking across the room to where Buffy where Buffy had just entered the club, spotting them she began making her way over to them, only to be stopped when a blond man stepped in front of her, “Hey, who’s that?”

“Don’t now?” Xander shrugged, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him around before”

 

****

 

“What are you doing here, Bren?” Buffy demanded, glaring at him.

“I couldn’t leave without speaking to you. I just want to know why you’re so angry with me.”

“Bren, I’m not angry at you. I just don’t think that what we had was all that special. When we met I was hurt and angry, and I used you to make myself feel better. I’m sorry if you thought it was more than that I am.” She shrugged.

“I don’t believe that.” Bren insisted.

“Whatever.” She shrugged as she pushed past him, and began making her way toward Willow and Xander. Spotting Angel coming to the Bronze she changed directions and headed over to him, “Hi, dance with me.” She said, taking his hand and dragging him on to the dance floor.

Angel stood stock still, stunned as Buffy began to dance seductively against him, grinding and shimming against him.

“Did I ever thank you for saving me life?” She whispered into his ear.

“It was Xan…”

“Don’t you wish I would?” She whispered again, before stepping back and walking out of the club. Leaving behind a stunned and angry Angel, a jealous and pissed Xander, and a worried and concerned Willow. Bren watched jealously before stepping back into the shadows and shimmering away.

Cordelia frowned as Buffy sauntered past her and out of the club. Huffing she followed calling out her name getting her to stop.

“You’re really campaigning for Bitch of the Year award aren’t you?” She said as Buffy turned around to face her.

“As defending champion, you worried?” Buffy asked.

“I can hold my own.” Cordelia smirked, “I don’t like you all that much, but you did save the world. Which is why I’m going to give you some advice.”

“Excuse me.” Buffy sneered.

“Whatever is causing the attitude, deal with it, embrace your inner pain but get over it, cause pretty soon you won’t even have the loser friends that you do have.”

“I think it’s time you minded your own business.” Buffy glared.

“Long past. Nighty, night.”

“Whatever.” Buffy mumbled as she turned and walked away. Not seeing the two vampires grab Cordelia from behind and drag her away.

 

****

 

“So, what you asked. About being worried about Buffy. The answer is yes. Very.” Angel said as he joined the two at the table.

“Yeah, no kidding.” Xander muttered.

“Xander…”

“I’m not mad at you. A little hurt and jealous, but not mad. At least not at you.” Xander smiled at him, causing Angel to relax.

“What should we do?” Willow asked.

“Talk to Giles in the morning.” Xander said, “I’m sorry Wills but I don’t feel like hanging out much out anymore. Do you want us to wake you home?”

“Thanks.” She smiled as she stood up and followed them out of the club.

After dropping Willow off at her home they made their way to Angel apartment. Xander settled down onto the couch with a sandwich and a drink, mumbling how Angel needed to get a TV.

“I don’t watch it and you’re not here much in the day time for me to get one.”

“Yeah, but when I am here at night I need something to watch.” He whined.

“I’ll think about it.” Angel smirked.

Soon they had finished eating and Xander had cuddled up to Angel, “Hey, did you find out anything from your guy?”

“No, nothing.” Angel shrugged, “They either don’t know anything or their not talking.”

“Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out.” He said, sleepily.

Soon they had both fallen asleep wrapped up safe and secure in each other’s arms.

 

**** **** ****

 

“She’s possessed.” Willow said.

“With what?” Giles asked, sipping at his tea.

As soon as Willow and Xander had arrived at school they had cornered Giles at the lounge and they had explained what had happened at the Bronze and with Cordelia at school yesterday morning.

“Well I don’t know. That’s your job.” Willow huffed.

“Maybe it has something to do with when she died. Some bad guy transference.” Xander offered

“Yes, that’s it.” Willow said, “I mean why else would she act like that.”

“I think that the explanation may be something much simpler.” Giles said, “I think she’s suffering from something you Americans call issues. Her experience with the Master was rather traumatic. She was, for at least a few minutes, legally dead.” He paused, letting them take that in, “I don’t think she has dealt with it. It’s too painful. She’s convinced herself that…”

“That’s a very interesting fact about trout.” Xander said, spotting Buffy coming up behind Giles.

Giles frowned at him before turning to see Buffy, “Right, yes. Good morning, Buffy. Did you sleep well?”

“Like a rock. The Masters gone.” She stated coldly.

“I’m…I’m sorry?” Giles frowned

“The Master. He’s gone. I went by the grave last night and he was gone.”

“Good God.” Giles breathed, shocked.

“What would they want with the Masters bones?” Willow asked.

“They’re gonna bring him back.” Buffy glared at Giles. “They’re gonna bring him back and I seem to recall you saying he was history.”

“Buffy we buried him on hallowed ground. Xander's spell was rather intense…”

“Well I guess Xander's magic is not as good as he thinks it is,” she interrupted Willow, with a sneer at Xander, before turning back to Willow and saying, “And this is Slayer business, okay. So a little less from the civilians, please.”

“Hey, Willow and I worked our asses of protecting this town over the sum…” Xander said, angrily, trailing off as Snyder walked up to their table.

“I believe some of us have got classes.” He smirked, to Giles he added, “And some of us have jobs.”

Giles nodded as he stood up and said, “Of course, we can finish this discussion later.”

The others walked away with a last glare from Buffy to Giles and Xander.

 

****

 

“What about Angel?” Willow asked “I thought he was looking into things?”

“Yeah, he said his contact weren’t talking to him.” Xander said, “He said he’d look deeper. I didn’t ask how.”

They were in the library going through Giles books looking for anything on the revivification ritual.

“Ah, I have something.” Giles said, coming out of his office to join the other three at the table, “It’s in Latin, so bear with me…they need his bones…which they now have…and they uh…the blood of the closest person…someone connected to the vampire…”

“That’d be me.” Buffy shrugged.

“Perhaps.” Giles murmured, still reading the book.

“We killed each other. We’re close. It promotes togetherness.”

Just then a rock came smashing though the window. Xander caught it before it could hit Willow. It has a note and Cordelia’s bracelet wrapped around it.

“It’s Cordelia’s." He said as he handed it over to Buffy.

“Come to the Bronze or we make her a meal.” She read.

“What are we gonna do?” Willow asked.

“I go to the Bronze and you guys stay here.” Buffy said as she stood up and started to make her way to the library doors.

“What about the rest of the note?” Willow asked.

“What rest?” She asked with a frown.

“The rest that says, P.S. this is a trap?” Xander said.

“I can handle it...” Buffy snapped.

“This is a bad idea.” Xander interrupted her, “We should go together…”

“No, I go alone.” Buffy snapped, interrupting hi this time, “I can’t keep protecting you guys while I fight.”

“Protect us.” Xander laughed, “Buffy you don’t protect us. We’ve been looking after this town while you were off in L.A.”

“Well look how good that turned out. The vamps have got the Masters bones and are trying to bring him back. You did an amazing job in protecting the town.” She snapped, before grabbing her jacket and storming out of the library.

“I don’t like this.” Willow said, “We should go after her.”

“No we should stay here. Buffy’s about to blow, I think we should stay as far away as possible for now, at least until we have a way of stopping the vamp.” Xander said.

Willow nodded sadly as she sat down as she re-joined the research party at the table.

 

****

 

Buffy stalked down the alley as she made her way to the Bronze. She huffed as Angel stepped out of the shadows.

“What are you doing here?” She glared at him.

“I overheard your little argument in the library. Thought you might need some back up. Someone to watch you back.” Angel shrugged.

“Don’t you mean my neck?” She smirked, “Besides what would Xander say?”

“He trusts me.” Angel stated.

“Well I don’t.” She snapped.

“Why?”

“You’re a vampire.”

“You can’t do this alone.” He said.

“Just stay out of my way.” She snapped as she side-stepped him and walked into the Bronze. After a second Angel followed her in.

The club was dark, the only light was coming from the stage, were there was a dark haired girl crying.

“That’s not Cordelia.” Angel said.

“Cordelia couldn’t make it.” The girl said standing up, turning and showing them her vampire face.

“Where is she?” Buffy demanded.

“I’m not supposed to tell.” the vampire smirked.

“I don’t like this.” Angel said.

“Don’t like what?”

“There’s the bait, where’s the trap.” Angel asked.

Just then the vampire jumped at them but Buffy was quicker, grabs her and flips her onto her back, pinning her to the floor with her boot.

“Your right. Why only send one?” She frowned, “Get me something to tie her up with.”

After tying the vampire up, Buffy handed her off to Angel and said, “Watch her. Don’t kill her unless you have to.”

“What’s going on?” he asked as he easily handled the struggling vampire.

“I’ll be back.” She said, walking out of the club.

 

****

 

“I still think we should have gone after her.” Willow said.

“No, Xander is correct. We should stay here and work on …Ah, ah.” Giles said, trailing off as he studied the book.

“Giles?” Xander prompted.

“Sorry, yes.” He said, “The Latin is translated from Sumerian. ‘Closest’ to the vampire actually means ‘nearest’. Physically. Oh…dear…”

“What?” Willow asked.

“It was a trap…” Giles said, looking fearfully behind her.

“Just not for Buffy.” Xander finished for him, staring at the group of vampires that came out from behind the bookshelves.

 

****

 

Buffy rushed into the library, stumbling to a halt at the mess of the room. Snapping her head at someone groaning from behind the tipped over table.

“Xander.” She said, rushing over to him and helped him to his feet, but he shook her off, glaring angrily at her.

“What happened?” she asked.

“Vampires. The ones you could handle.” He snapped at her.

“What happened to you and your great new powers?” She snapped back at him.

“In case you’ve forgotten, vampires don’t freeze and there were too many of them, remember trap!” He glared at her, “I managed to dust some of them before one of them decided to break my arm and to knock me out with the table.”

She began to pace, “Where did they take them?”

“I don’t know. I officially don’t care what your problem is, but if you had worked with us we coulda stopped this.” He hissed at her, panting a little from the pain if his broken arm.

Buffy didn’t say anything as she continued pacing stopping abruptly as Bren shimmered into the room.

“What are you doing here?” She glared at him.

“I’m here to help.” He answered.

“I told you I don’t…”

“Not you.” He said as he stepped around her, and stood before Xander, “I came to heal you.”

“Your…you’re a Whitelighter?” Xander asked, frowning a little.

“No, witch.” Bren said.

"I thought shimmering was a demon power?" Xander asked as he took a step back.

"It is," Bren nodded, he bit his lip before he decided to tell the truth, "My father was a demon, but my mother was a witch. She had the power to heal, which was passed down to me," he nodded to Xander broken arm asking, "Can I?"  

Xander nodded and cautiously held up his arm as he asked, “How do you know Buffy?"

“I ran into Buffy in LA and helped her out.” He said, stepping back as he finished healing Xander.

“Thanks.” Xander mumbled, still frowning slightly. He knew there was something else going on as Buffy had said she didn’t do any slaying in LA. One of them was lying, but he didn’t care right now, he had to find his friends.

“That’s not important.” Buffy snapped, turning to Xander she asked, “Why didn’t they take you.”

“Giles said the ritual was…they needed the people physically closest to the Master when he died.” Xander explained, “Cordelia, Willow, Giles…”

“Ms Calendar.” Buffy finished.

“Odds are they have a full set by now.” Xander said.

“We need to find out where.”

“How?”

“I think I can find out.” Buffy said, turning to walk out.

“Buffy.” Xander called, causing her to turn back to him, “If anything happens to her. I’ll kill you.”

The two stared at each other before Buffy gave a small nod, turned and walked out the library.

Xander began to follow to follow her, pausing briefly to ask Bren, “Are you coming.”

“I can’t. I’m sorry. I can't really get involved. We’re Pacifists.” he told him, regretfully.

“Whatever.” Xander shrugged, walking away quickly to catch up with Buffy.

 

****

Xander frowned as he followed Buffy into the Bronze and saw Angel pacing back and forth in front of a vampire.

“Angel?” He asked as Buffy strode past them both and grabbed the vampire and dragged her into the middle of the room.

“You okay?” Angel asked as he walked up to him.

“Yeah.” Xander nodded, and quickly explained what had happened at the library, before asking “What are your doing here?”

“I overhead you guys in the library. I thought she could use some back up. I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” Xander shrugged.

“I should have been with you.”

“Angel its fine.” He smiled at the vampire, jumping at a loud crash, looking see that Buffy has thrown the vampire onto a pool table.

“I’m gonna ask one more time.” She said, standing over the vampire with a hand over the vampire’s mouth, “Where are they?”

She waited a few minutes then took he hand away, pulling out her cross pendent from the vampire’s mouth.

The vampire coughed saying in a hoarse voice, “Ware…house…abandoned…” before Buffy pulled out a stake and dusted the vampire.

Tuning to the other two she said “come on” and walked out of the Bronze, not waiting to see if they followed.

 

****

 

The three of them sneaked into the warehouse, the Masters bones lay on a table in the centre of the room. A circle if vampires around the table. Colin and Absalom are off to the side. Giles, Willow, Cordelia and Jenny were hanging upside down over the Masters bones.

“Behold, these four mortals,” Absalom said, “Witnesses to our Masters wretched demise. They will breathe their last tonight. He blood that pours from their throat will bring new life to the old. We gather for his resurrection. For the dawn if this new hell.”

“You two get the others out of here.” Buffy said, from where they were hidden behind some crates.

“Your gonna need to distract them.” Angel said.

“I can do that.” She said.

“What are you gonna do?” Xander asked.

“I’m gonna kill them all.” She said, pulling out her stake, walking towards the circle of vampires, “That oughta distract them.”

As Buffy began to fight the vampires, Xander and Angel made their way up the ladder to the platform above them to get to the others off the conveyer belt.

“The sacrifices! Stop them!” Absalom shouted as spots what they’re doing.

Two vampires run to the ladder but Buffy stakes them before they get there allowing Xander and Angel pull the others down of off the conveyer belt, just as they were getting Willow off a vampire makes his way up the ladder and growls at them.

“Go, I’ve got her.” Xander tells Angel, pulling Willow down into his arms.

Angel nodded and lunged at the vampire, throwing a punch sending the vampire onto his back and quickly dusting him, making his way back to the others helping to make sure they were okay.

“Where is Buffy?” Giles asked, sitting up, clutching his aching head.

Xander and Angel stood at the end of the platform and watched as Buffy fights the remaining vampires.

“I think she’s working out her issues.” Xander answered.

They all watched as Buffy dusted the remaining vampire before dodging a screaming Absalom as he attacks her with a sledgehammer and quickly slammed her stake in to him. As he burst in to dust, the hammer drops to the floor.

“Is it over?” Willow asked.

“I’m not sure.” Xander said, watching as Buffy picked up the hammer and walked over to bones. Lifting up the hammer she brought it down on the bones and began smashing the bones to dust. So immersed in her pain and attack she failed to notice Bren shimmering in behind her.

Once there was nothing left of the bones, the exhausted slayer drops the hammer and collapses back into Brens arms, pulling her into a hug to let her cry into his shoulders.

“Hey, thats the guy from last night.” Willow asked.

“Yeah, He’s a witch. Healed my broken arm. He turned up in the library just after we got attacked.” Xander explained.

“He knows Buffy?” Giles asked.

"All that they said was that they meet in LA.” Xander shrugged, not mentioning his earlier suspicions. They watched as Bren shimmered away with Buffy.

“Yes well, it’s been a rather long day.” Giles said, “I say we go home and deal with the rest tomorrow.”

 

****

 

“Are you okay?” Angel asked.

“Yeah,” Xander nodded.

“You didn’t tell me you got hurt.” Angel said as they got changed for bed.

“We didn’t exactly have a lot of time, beside the Witch healed me.” Xander shrugged as he climbed into bed.

“I still want to know.” Angel said, climbing into bed beside him and wrapping his arms around him, “I love you. I want to know what happens to you.”

“Okay, next time I get injured and magically healed, I’ll make sure to find sometime and tell you.” He mumbled sleepily as he burrowed into angels neck.

“You’re such a sarcastic little shit.” Angel muttered.

“Yeah, love you too.” Mumbled Xander as he fell asleep, Angel arms tighten securely around him as he followed.

 

**** **** ****

 

“Morning, sleep well?” Xander asked as he sat in the seat in front of Willow in their first class the next morning.

“Okay,” Willow shrugged, “No nightmares at least. You?”

“Honestly, like a log.” He shrugged.

Willow laughed quietly at him before going quiet as she looked towards the door. Xander looked up to see Buffy standing hesitantly at the door. She walked over to the empty seat beside Willow and sat down, glancing nervously at the two.

“Hey Buffy,” Willow smiled at her.

“Hi,” she smiled hesitantly back.

“So rumour has it, that Mr Cox is they most boring teacher in history.” Xander joked.

“Yeah, I hear he nods off a lot.” Willow agreed, smiling at him.

“So, are we bronzing it tonight?” Xander asked, mostly directing the question to Buffy.

“Wednesday, kinda quiet,” Willow shrugged.

“Well we could grind our enemies’ bones to make talcum powder, but we did do that last night.” Xander joked, causing Willow to laugh and Buffy to finally smile at them, “Or we could just go with something simpler like miniature golf?”

“That’s an idea,” Buffy said, smiling at him, “Xander about the Bronze…about Angel…”

“It’s fine. You were…working through some stuff…just forget about it.” He said, smiling awkwardly at her, turning in his seat to face the front of the class as the teacher walked in.

Buffy frowned at the back of Xander head. She wasn’t sure what to think. In truth she wanted to apologise for the dance with Angel, the way she danced with Angel,

She had left Sunnydale to go to LA with her dad in the hopes that some distance away from Angel would help her get over him, the thing with Bren was a desperate attempt to try and move on, but coming back to Sunnydale and the dance with Angel made her realise that she had never gotten over Angel and that she wanted him back.

Now she wasn’t sure what she was going to do. She didn’t want to hurt Xander but she knew that she and Angel belonged together; she just had to show Angel that too.


	2. Some Assembly Required

“Buffy?”

Bren had shimmered in behind Buffy as she sat atop the gravestone of the young boy she was waiting to arise.

“Jeez, don’t so that.” She snapped, jumping off the stone she turned and glared at him, “You don’t sneak up on people in a graveyard.”

“Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you were okay?” Bren said, apologetically.

“I’m fine.” She said, “Look Bren, I care about you, I do, but I’m still in love with Angel. It wouldn’t be fair to you.”

“But I thought Angel and Xander were…”

“They…they are …but I still…” she shrugged, “I still love him and I want …I want to be with him.”

“What about Xander?”

“What about him?”

“He’s your friend. Don’t you care about his feelings?”

“No, I don’t.” she snapped, glaring at him, “I… look I’m not here to fight…” she stumbled into Bren as the young vampire that had awaken while they argued jumped on to her back, quickly righting themselves she mumbled, “Oh, right I did.”

The vampire jumped at her again throwing a few punches that she easily blocked before she pulled out her stake and dusted him.

“You’re getting quicker at that." He said.

“He was new.” She shrugged, dusting herself off before turned and walked away.

“Buffy wait.” Bren called, “We haven’t finished talking.”

“Yes we have.” She said, as she continued to walk away, throwing a quick look behind her, missed the open grave as she fell into it.

“You okay?” He asked as he rushed over to the grave.

“Yeah, fine.” She said, frowning as she studied the grove marks in the grass, leading away from the grave.

“Vampire?” he asked, helping her out.

“No I think someone dug it up and dragged her from it.” She said, picking up a shoe. Dusting herself off she turned to him and said, “Thanks, but I think it time you left. There nothing here for you, so I think it would be best if you left.”

  
“But Buffy…”

“I don’t love you.” She broke in, “And you hanging around here is just going to get your hopes up, when nothing is going to happen. Nothing, Bren. You understand.”

Bren watched her for a few minutes before nodding and said, “I hope you get want you want, that you’ll be happy.”

She watched as he orbed away, “I will be.” She muttered to herself before heading home.

 

**** **** ****

Xander smiled at Willow and Buffy and caught up with them as they entered the library. They paused as they watched Giles sit in a chair, facing an empty chair across from him and began to talk.

“I was …what I’m proposing is…I…is a social engagement…a …date…” Giles paused, sighing deeply as he muttered, “Stupid…so stupid…”

“Boy.” Buffy smirked, “I guess we didn’t know how much you liked that chair.”

Giles jumped, surprised and embarrassed, “I was just practicing…”

“Your pick up lines.” She chuckled.

“No...well…yes, I suppose …in a manner of speaking.” Giles stammered, embarrassed.

“Well if you want some advice.” Buffy said, shrugging, “how about just saying, ‘Hey, how about some Mexican?’”

“Mexican?”

“Food.” She sighed, “You ask to take her out on a date for something to eat.”

“Right.”

“”So, this chair person, it wouldn’t be Ms Calendar, now would it?” Xander asked as he and Willow moved to sit at the table.

“No…I mean…yes…” Giles sighed, knowing it was no use trying to hide it from them.

“Giles and Calender sitting in a tree…” Xander began to sing.

“Please stop.” Giles glared at the boy, causing Xander and Willow muffle their laughter. Giles ignored the two as he turned to Buffy and asked, “How did last night go?”

“I took care of the vamp.” She shrugged, “But I found an empty grave.”

“Another vampire?” Willow asked.

“No, this one was dug up and the body taken.” She explained.

“Grave robbing. That’s new, interesting.” Giles said an excited gleam in his eye.

“I know you meant gross and disturbing.” Buffy said with a shudder.

“Yes, yes. Terrible thing. It must be stopped.” Giles said, sheepishly.

"Why would someone dig up a body?” Willow asked.

“I’m not sure.” Giles said, “I will have to look into it.”

“Do you know who it was?” Willow asked.

“Meredith Todd, ring a bell?”

Willow and Xander both shook their heads.

“She died recently. Around our age.” She offered.

“No, sorry.” Willow sighed.

“Well, perhaps you, Willow could look her up on this.” Giles said, patting the computer, “And Xander and Buffy can help research possible reason as to why someone would want a dead body.”

Willow smirked as Xander grumbled as they both settled in to do their research.

 

****

Xander sighed as he closed yet another book, finding many more disturbing reasons as to why someone would need a dead body.

Turning to Willow he asked, “Hey, I thought you were going to sign up for the science fair.”

Willow jumped up from her seat mumbling that she would be right back as she rushed out of the library.

“Where is she going?” Buffy asked.

“She forgot to sign in at the science fair.”

“Has she found anything?” Giles asked.  
“Not sure,” He shrugged, moving into Willows recently vacated seat and began checking the computer to see what she had found.

“What about you? What did you find?” Giles asked.

“I’ve found that there are a lot of very disturbing reasons for someone to want a dead body, it just all depends on the state of the body, before and after they died.”

“Do we know how she died?” Buffy asked.

“I’m not seeing anything here.” Xander shrugged.

“I’m gonna go and get Willow, see if she can find out for us.” Buffy said, hopping off the table and left the library.

Xander sighed as he watched her leave. Things had been tense between the two since Buffy had come back from LA. She had apologised for dancing with Angel but to Xander it had seemed hallow, false, as if she was just apologising because people were expecting her to, not because she felt she was in the wrong.

She was uncomfortable around him when they were alone, she was fine when Willow or Giles was around, but when it was just the two of them she couldn’t get away fast enough. And Angel, he and their relationship was something that was never talked about when she was around, and if it was mentioned, she ignored it, just like she ignored Xander if Angel was around.

His thoughts were interrupted by the two girls returning, they were followed by Cordelia. Xander stood up and moved back to his seat allowing Willow to sit back down in front of the computer.

“This shouldn’t take long; I’m probably the only girl that has the coroner’s office bookmarked in school.” She joked, as she searched.

“Willow I need to ask you to help me with my science project.” Cordelia asked.

“It’s a fruit.” She says, not looking away from the computer.

“I mean I could have asked Chris.” Cordelia continued, emotionally, not hearing Willow, “But that would have brought up to many memories…”

“I found it.” Willow said, everyone gathering around her and the computer, ignoring Cordelia as she continued to ramble, “According to this Meredith Todd died in a car crash last week.”

“How was her neck?” Buffy asked.

“It was broken.”

“Hello, can we deal with my pain, please.” Cordelia huffed, tired of being ignored.

“There, there.” Xander said absently, patting her back without looking at her. Cordelia scoffed and crossed her arms annoyed.

“It says Meredith and two other girls in the car died instantly. They were all in the pep squad at Fondren High; they were on their way to a game when they crashed.”

“That means it wasn’t vampires.” Buffy said, “Which means someone did dig up her body.”

“Eew, why is it always about dead bodies with you guys?” Cordelia complained.

“What do we have to go on?” Buffy asked.

“Well, Xander and I have a few ideas.” Giles offered, looking up from his books and notes that Xander had made, “Demons eat the flesh of the dead to absorb their souls, voodoo practitioners…”

“Zombies?” Willow yipped.

“”Possibly.” Giles nodded.

“So we need to check the other girl’s graves to make sure their still there.” Buffy said.

“So, we’re digging up some graves tonight?” Xander asked.

“Yeah, a field trip.” Willow said, squirming in her seat excitedly, before turning to Xander and asked, “Wait I thought you and Angel were going out tonight?”

“Ahh, no. Angel had to go out of town; he got news about a book that might help us find out more on Belthazor’s powers.” Xander explained.

“Well, then I can pack some food, you like those little powdered doughnuts, right?” She asked Xander, when he nodded she turned to Cordelia and asked, “Cordelia?”

“Oh, darn, I’ve got cheerleading practice tonight. I wish I knew before, I would have cancelled.” She smirked.

“Well, alrighty then, but if you see zombies, you page us before they eat your flesh.” Xander smiled at her.

Cordelia huffed before leaving the library.

“Xander.” Giles said.

“Yeah.”

“Zombies don’t eat the flesh of the living.” Giles informed him.

“Oh, I know that, but did you see the look on her face?” He said with a laugh.  
****

 

Buffy and Willow were sitting on a blanket leaning against the grave of a young girl. They were eating the picnic that Willow had prepared for them as they talked quietly, while Xander and Giles where digging up the grave of one of the girls.

“So, what was Cordelia deal, with Chris?” Buffy asked.

“Daryl Epps. He was Chris’s older brother. He was a big football star.” Willow answered.

“Was he studly?”

“Big time. All the girls liked him. He dated Cordelia for a while.”

“And he broke Cordy’s heart, raising his standards in my eyes, I suppose.” Buffy smirked, she and Cordelia had never gotten along, but it had gotten worse since school had started back. She once believed that Cordelia had been competition for Angel feelings. But now Cordelia was the one that was warning her away from hurting Xander and to stay away from Angel.

“He died, rock climbing I think.” Willow said, quietly.

“Man, that’s lousy. Poor Chris.” She said, suddenly feeling bad.

“Yeah, ever since Chris, he’s never been the same, quiet. Always on his own. His mother never leaves the house.”

“You know you two could help.” Xander panted, as he took a quick break.

“Yes, it would go a lot quicker if you helped.” Giles added, mildly glaring at the two girls.

“Sorry, but I think your both doing such a good job all on your own.” Buffy smirked, nodding to the partially exposed coffin.

“So are we hoping to find a body or not?” Willow asked as she and Buffy stood up and joined them.

“Don’t know about you guys but I’m hoping for a fortune in gold doubloons.” Xander joked.

“A body means flesh eating demons; no body would lean towards zombies. So take your pick really.” Giles turned to Xander and said, “Right…Xander…on you go…”

“What…no…you’re closer…”

Buffy rolled her eyes and jumped into the grave, muttering, “Pathetic.” and opened the coffin.

 

****

 

“So, all three bodies are missing and possible signed up for zombie army.” Xander said, as they entered the library.

“Is it an army if there are only three?” Willow asked.

“Angel.” Buffy breathed.

“Hey, your back.” Xander smiled, tensing at Buffy’s gasp.

“Yeah, I thought you were going to take a couple of days off, at least until I got back.” Angel said, frowning at Xander’s tense frame.

“I was planning to, but something came up.” He shrugged.

“Cordelia told me.” Angel said, nodding to the upset girl beside him.

“Someone has been digging up the bodies of dead girls.” Xander explained.

“I know, we found some of them.” Angel said.

“You mean, like, two of the three?” Buffy asked, wanting Angel’s attention on her.

“No, I mean, some of them. Like parts of them.”

“It was horrible. Angel saved me from an arm. There were so many parts, they were everywhere. Why do all these bad things always happen to me?” Cordelia asked tearfully.

“Karma.” Willow laughed, causing Xander to muffle his laugh, before speaking more clearly, “So much for our zombie theory.”

“So much for all our theories.” Giles said.

“I don’t get it.” Buffy huffed as she began to pace, “Why go to all that trouble of digging up three girls only to chop them up and throw them away?”

“What I saw didn’t add up to three girls. I think they kept some parts.”

“Could this get any yuckier?” Buffy asked, grimacing.

“They probably kept the other parts to eat.” Willow gasped.

“Question answered.” Xander said, grimacing as well now.

“But why dispose of the remains here at school?” Giles asked.

“Maybe because whoever did it had business here, say like classes.” Buffy suggested.

“This was no hatchet job.” Angel frowned, “Whoever did this knew what they were doing.”

“And what student would be that well versed in physiology.” Giles scoffed.

“I can think of at least five or six guys from the science club.” Willow offered.

“Why don’t you look up their locker numbers and then we can check them out.” Buffy said.

“No, I want to go home. I have to bathe and burn my clothes.” Cordelia said.

“Everybody say bye-bye to Cordy.” Buffy said, wanting to get rid of her quickly.

“I don’t want to go home alone.” She said turning pleading eyes to Angel she asked, “Can you take me?”

“I…” Angel began, turning his own pleading eyes to Xander, who looked away biting his lip to stop from laughing. While Cordy had helped them out sometimes over the summer, Angel could only take Cordelia for a short period of time, before wanting to rip her throat out.

“Great I’ll drive.” Cordelia smiled up at him and dragged him out of the library.

Chuckling Xander made his way over to the table and sat down, tensing up as Buffy turned to him and frowning she asked, “Aren’t you worried?”

“About what?”

“She clearly wants him.” She shrugged, “Aren’t you worried…”

“No.” He broke in, looking her in the eye, wanting g her to understand and finally give up on Angel, he said clearly, “He loves me. He doesn’t want to be with anybody but me.”

Buffy shrugged at him before turning to Willow and asking her something he couldn’t hear. He slumped back in his seat with a tired sigh. He had feared that when she said the dance with Angel meant nothing she had been lying. That she was still in love with Angel.

He looked up as Willow called out his name and holding up a sheet of paper she asked, “You ready?”

Sighing he nodded as he stood up and walked out of the library with Willow, Buffy and Giles ahead of them as Buffy assured Giles that he would be covered if they got caught searching the lockers.

“You okay?” Willow asked.

“Yeah, just a little tired.” He said, smiling tiredly at her, he took the sheet of paper from her and said, “The quicker we check these lockers, the sooner we get home.”

Willow nodded and watched as he walked away to begin his own locker search before quickly doing the same.

“Ah…guys,” Xander said, opening the locker door he was currently checking for Giles and Willow to see inside as they came up behind him, “Your friend Chris Epps locker.”

Willow began reading the list of books that Xander had revealed as Giles reached into the locker and pulled out a newspaper clipping of the car crash.

“I think it safe to say that Mr Epps is involved.” Giles said.

“But we still don’t know why.” Willow said, pulling out one of the science books and flicking through.

“Yes, we do.” Buffy said from across the hall, staring into Eric’s locker, pushing open the door for the others to see a collage of pictures of girl body parts.

 

****

 

Xander walked into Angel’s apartment and collapsed on the couch and curled up into Angel’s arms.

“Hey,” Angel whispered, carding his fingers through his hair. “Wasn’t sure if you were coming by or going home tonight.”

“Yeah, sorry.” Xander mumbled, burrowing closer to Angel, “Did you get Cordy home okay?”

“Yeah, thanks.” He muttered pulling gently at his hair, smirking at Xander’s grumble of compliant, “Did you find anything with the locker search?”

Xander explained what they had found before asking, “What about you? You’re home early, does that mean good or bad news?”

“Good news.” Angel said nodding to the book sitting on the coffee table, “It’s a dairy written by a witch that had faced a demon that matches Belthazor’s description.”

Xander sat and reached for the book only to be pulled back by Angel.

“We can go through it tomorrow.” Angel said as he stood up and pulled Xander with him, “It’s late and you have school tomorrow.”

With that he pulled the grumbling boy into the bedroom and got ready for bed. As the two settled Xander made a mental note to talk to Angel about Buffy.

He wasn’t too concerned. He meant what he told Buffy. He knew Angel loved him; he was just worried about the trouble that Buffy could cause.

 

**** **** ****

“Hey, Xander there’s some eggs and bacon waiting for you.” Angel said, as he walked past the bed and into the bathroom.

Xander groaned as he rolled out of bed and walked over to the small kitchen area and smiled when he saw the breakfast waiting for him. For a guy that was dead and on a liquid diet he sure was an amazing cook.

Angel had finished with his shower and dressed before grabbing a cup of blood and joined him at the table.

“What are you going to do about the boys digging up the bodies?” Angel asked.

“I’m not sure.” Xander shrugged, “Their human so Giles wants us to get them before they do anything and then let the police handle it, Buffy…” trailing off as he remembered the heated argument between the watcher and slayer last night.

“Well, they are human; maybe Giles is right and let the police handle it.” Angel said, smiling as Xander nodded.

They sat in silence as they eat their breakfast, before Xander cleared his throat and said, “I think…I think …Buffy is going to cause some trouble…”

“What do you mean?” Angel asked.

“I don’t think she’s as over you as she claims to be.” Xander said.

“Xander, if this is about the dance…”

“No, I mean…it is, in a way… it’s just…it’s just…she was clearly jealous when you left the library with Cordelia and I think she tried to get me to be worried or jealous about it,” he explained, “Which I’m not. I told Buffy that you love me. I trust you, which I don’t think she was happy about, either, but that’s not what I’m worried about; it’s…it’s the trouble that she might cause, that I’m worried about.”

Angel sighed, nodding he said, “Your right, but we’ll deal with her if and when we need to, right now we concentrate on the problems we do have.”

“Okay, your right.” Xander groaned, “I’m gonna get dressed and head off to my immediate problem.” Smiling at Angel confused look he said, “School.”

Angel huffed a laugh as he watched Xander go into the bathroom before standing up and began to clear the table. He was sitting at the table leafing through the book when Xander came out the bathroom, dressed and ready for school.

“Are you gonna come by the school tonight?” He asked as he picked up his bag. At Angel’s nod, “Okay, see you tonight.” before leaving to meet Willow for school.

 

****

 

Xander smiled as he spotted Willow sitting on the small wall at the bottom of the stairs outside the front of the school. Sitting down beside her he asked, “Anything yet?”

“No.” she shrugged, turning to him she asked, “Are you okay?”

“What?”

“Last night, after Angel and Cordelia left, you seemed a little upset.”

“It’s not that.” He said, with a nod to Buffy, who was coming towards them, he said, “We can talk more later.”

“Okay,” she said with frown, before turning to Buffy and asked, “So, any signs of our suspects?”

“Not yet,” she said as she sat down on the other side of Willow, “I still don’t get why they’re doing this.”

Xander couldn’t help but think back to last year, before Buffy came to town. How he, Willow and Jesse we ignored. How desperate Jesse could get when he was trying to get Cordelia attention, his own failures when it came to getting Buffy’s attention. He could understand how someone could do something so desperate if they were so lonely, not that he agrees with what Chris and Eric were doing, but just that he could understand.

“The things people do for love.” Xander mumbled absently, not expecting anyone to hear him.

“Love has nothing to do with this.” Buffy snapped.

“Maybe not, but I’ll tell you something,” Xander said, turning to look at her, making sure he was looking her in the eye as he said, “Some people don’t see what right in front of them. They want the dream; they want what they can’t have. The more unattainable the more they want it.”

Buffy jerked back as if she had been slapped, turning back to scan the crowd with a glare.

Willow jumped from her seat, trying to break the tension she said, “Well for Eric, the unattainable is everyone. That’s alive.”

“Ok so Eric is sick enough to do something like this, but what about Chris?” Buffy said, standing up and began to make her way in to school, Xander and Willow following.

“I dunno, the death of his brother was really hard for him. He talked about death a lot after, maybe he’s trying to get one up on it.” Willow suggested.

“But it’s not actually doable, right?” Xander asked.

“If it is my science project is definitely coming in second.” Willow joked.

“Speaking of love…” Xander said, nodding to where Giles is coming out of the school and scanned the crowd.

“Hey,” Buffy said, once they joined him, “Any sign of our mad scientist?”

“What…oh yes, corpse…evil…very bad…” Giles stammered, distractedly as he scanned the crowd.

The others turned to search the crowd to see who he was looking for. Spotting Ms Calendar coming towards them Buffy smirked and said, “Just remember keep it simple, personalise it.”

“Personalise it?” Giles asked nervously.

“She’s a techno pagan right? Ask her to bless your computer or something, show that you’re interested in the things she is.” She offered, before turning and walking onto school.

Willow patted him gently as Xander muttered “good luck” as they turned and followed Buffy.

 

****

 

After, Xander and Willow were in an empty chemistry classroom. Willow was going over some books muttering away to herself. Xander was playing with a plastic skeleton head.

“Well its official. Eric and Chris never come to school today.” Buffy said, as she walked in.

“That can’t be coincidence.” Xander said.

“Maybe they finished their project.” Willow said.

“God, what if it worked. What could that poor girl be thinking?” Buffy said, horrified.

“Poor girls, technically.” Xander said.

“And what are they planning on doing with her?” Willow asked the question they were all trying not to think about.

“I don’t think we have to worry about that just yet.” Giles said, from where he stood at the door of the classroom, “I contacted the police about the remains. They’ve finished sorting through them; apparently all three heads were in the dumpster.”

“So they don’t have a full…package.” Willow said.

****

The group quickly transferred themselves back to the library. Giles was checking on some books, Willow and Xander were sitting in front of the computer as Buffy paced angrily back and forth.

“I checked the obits. Nothing that would make a likely candidate.” Willow said.

“They seem awfully picky for someone who already had three good heads.” Xander mumbled.

“Formaldehyde!!” Willow shouted.

“Of course.” Giles gasped, “It accelerates the neural decay in brain cells.”

“They’re gonna need something fresh.” Willow said.

“How fresh?” Buffy questioned.

“Really fresh.” Willow grimaced, “You don’t think they’d actually…”

“I think anyone who cuts up dead girls into tiny pieces doesn’t get the benefit of any doubt. This ends. Tonight.” Turning to Willow and Xander she said, “You two head to Eric’s. Giles and I’ll go to Chris’s. Meet back here in about an hour.”

“I’m supposed to be at the, uh, the big game.” Giles said, remembering his date with Jenny.

“Fine, I’ll go to Chris’s and we can meet up with you there.”

Everybody nodded as Buffy turned to go; she paused as Willow called out to her.

“Buffy don’t be too hard on Chris. I mean he's not a vampire…”

“No, he just a ghoul.” She interrupted her, before stomping out of the library.

 

****

 

Xander and Willow made their way to Eric's house. Arriving they knocked on the door, when his mom answered and told him Eric was out Willow quickly made up some excuse about needing to get back a book for homework and made their way quickly up to Eric’s room and began to search for anything that could help.

“So do you wanna talk about what’s bothering you?” She asked, as she looked through his computer.

“Do you really think now is the right time?” Xander asked, searching the bookcase.

“What else have we got to talk about?”

Xander shrugged before explaining his suspicions about Buffy and her feelings for Angel.

“I can see where you’re coming from and I… I think you could be right. I’ve seen the way she looks at him sometimes, when she thinks nobody can see, but he loves you. You know that right?”

“Yeah, I know he does, but I’m still worried about the trouble she’ll cause.” He shrugged, “Come on, there’s obviously nothing here. We should meet back up with the others.”

Willow nodded and began to make their way back to school in a comfortable silence before Willow said, “Angel’s right, we shouldn’t go looking for trouble, but if and when she does cause any trouble well deal with it together.”

“Together?” He asked shocked.

“Yes.” She smiled at him, taking his hand she gave it a squeeze, “Buffy has become a good friend and I do hate seeing her hurting, but she and Angel were never together and Angel loves you, he makes you happy. You’re happy in a way that I haven’t seen you since…I think before your grams died and I don’t want Buffy to ruin that.”

“Thanks.” Xander smiled at her.

 

****

 

“Can you see them?” Willow asked as looked around for Giles and Ms Calendar.

“They’re over there, come on.” He said as he gently tugged her over to the bleachers to the other two.

“Hi Ms Calendar, Giles.” Willow said as they climbed up the bleachers.

“Hey guys.” Ms Calendar smiled at them.

“Eric’s house was a bust.” Xander said as he and Willow sat down on the bench in front of them.

“Did Buffy get back yet?” Willow asked.

“No, uh, perhaps you should, uh, search nearer the field?” Giles suggested, trying to get them to leave.

Xander just shrugged and grabbed some popcorn from him before he and Willow turned round to watch some of the game. Soon Xander started bouncing his knee and biting his lip nervously as he kept checking his watch. Turning back round to Giles he said, “It’s been more than an hour, right? She should’ve been back by now, right?”

“Yes.” He answered, now also starting to look worried.

“I’m gonna go out and see if I can find her or even Chris or Eric.” He said as he stood up and began to make his way down the bleachers and back towards the school.

Seeing smoke rising from the old science lab he began to run towards it, seeing that it was on fire. Running into the building he found Buffy fighting Daryl.

“Buffy.” He shouted.

“Get Cordelia out.” She shouted back.

Xander rushed over to Cordelia where she was tied to a stretcher.

“Xander, come on, get me out of here, Xander.” Cordelia cries.

Xander tried to freeze the fire but it was already too out of control and goes back to struggling to free Cordelia from the bed, but as the flames become more intense he decides the best option is to just wheel her out of there. Once he gets to the door he turned back to see Buffy on the ground dazed and Daryl standing over her holding a table above his head.

Xander raised his hand prepared to see if Daryl would freeze, but Chris came running into the room with Giles and Willow shouting, “DARYL, NO.”

Daryl looked up from Buffy to see the ‘body’ is being engulfed in the flames. Daryl dropped the table, and Xander just managed to throw it across the room before it landed on the still dazed Buffy on the ground. He caught Chris before he ran after Daryl who has run screaming into the flames. Giles and Willow rushed in and picked up Buffy, dragging her out of the room.

They stood there in stunned silence as they watched the flamed engulf Daryl and his bride-to-be.

 

****

 

The fire is soon quickly under control and almost out, fire trucks and ambulance scattered across the field. Xander can see Buffy and Chris talking quietly at one of the ambulances and Giles and Ms Calendar talking just off to the side, from where he and Willow were seated at another ambulance.

“You okay?” Willow asked.

Xander nodded and smiled as he saw Angel walking towards him.

“Hey, I saw the fire, figured you would be here.” Angel says, standing in front of him and gently cupping his face and asked, “Are you okay?”

“Tired, ready to go home.”

“Come on then.” He said, stepping back and taking his hand pulling him up to stand, turning to Willow he asked, “How about you are you okay?”

“I’m …”

“Xander, thank you.” Cordelia said, as she came up to them, “You saved my life and I just wanted to say thank you.”

They watched her walk away in stunned silence before Willow broke it by saying, “That still weirds me out.” causing the other two to laugh.

“As I was saying, I’m fine.” She smiled at them.

“Do you want us to walk you home?” Angel asked.

Willow quickly looked over to Buffy where she now stood alone glaring at Xander and Angel. Shaking her head she said, “No, its okay. I’ll get Buffy to walk me home.”

“Okay, if you’re sure.” Xander said.

“I’m sure.” She smiled, nudging them to get them moving, looking at Angel he said, “Take him home and make sure he gets some rest.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He laughed, pulling a grumbling Xander away, neither noticing the glares that Buffy was sending their way. But Willow watched and was even more convinced that Xander may be right to worry.


	3. School Hard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks to my beta tymbur
> 
> sorry it's been a while, but here's the next chapter.

“So, are we bronzing it tonight?” Willow asked.

She and Xander where sitting outside, on the school steps as they waited for Buffy, who had been called into Principle Snyder’s office at the end of their last class.

“Can’t, sorry. Angel wants to do some more training and then some patrolling tonight.” Xander sighed.

“Oh, so is that what we’re calling it now.” She smirked.

“No, unfortunately I do mean patrolling.” Xander sighed, “Ever since he came back with that diary he’s been in overprotective mode and doubled up on the training and patrolling.”

“That bad?” She asked, biting her lip nervously.

“Actually there wasn’t anything in the diary that wasn’t already in my Book.” Xander explained, “I think it’s the not knowing that’s making him anxious. All we know about Belthazor is what is in the Book of Shadows. He’s a big, black and red demon. He’s one of the Triad’s top soldiers and his powers include super strength, telekinesis, shimmering and energy balls.” He paused and bit his lip as he sighed and said, “There’s a vanquishing spell, but it requires the flesh or blood of the demon you’re vanquishing.”

“And Angel doesn’t want you to get that close to the demon.” Willow adds.

“Especially as we don’t know if he’s immune to my powers or not.” 

“I would really like to see that Book.” Willow sighed.

“Maybe I can ask Angel if you can come round sometime to see it.” He offered, “I don’t feel comfortable taking it out of Angel’s apartment.”

“Yeah, that would be great.” She smiled at him.

“Hey, meatpie!” Someone shouted, which caused them to look up to see Buffy and Shelia, the schools real delinquent, standing at the top of the stairs. They walked over to them as Shelia ran down the stairs, into the arms of a tall muscled tattooed biker guy.

“So, how did your meeting with Snyder go?” Willow asked.

“He’s making his worst two students do the party favours for Parent-Teacher night.” Buffy huffed; she looked at Shelia and said, “That’s what mom sees when she looks at me.”

“Shelia is intense.” Xander nodded, “That is the guy she can take home.”

“Yeah, she started smoking in the fifth grade. I was her look out once.” Willow said, proudly.

“You’re a rebel Wills.” Xander smirked.

“It’s not fair.” Buffy whined, “I’m the Slayer, what’s her excuse?”

“Homework, she refuses to do it.” Xander shrugged, “You’ll also want to keep her away from sharp pointy things.”

“Do you think other Slayers had to worry about school and stuff?” Buffy sulked.

“Hey, it’s no real biggie. As long as nothing bad happens, we’ll be fine.” Xander said.

Buffy and Willow turned and shot appalled and shocked looks at him.

“Are you nuts?” Buffy demanded, “Now something bad is gonna happen.”

“Nothing bad is gonna happen.” Xander defended.

“Now that you’ve jinxed us, of course there is.” Willow snapped.

Both girls glared at him before they turned and stormed off, leaving a bewildered and confused Xander behind.

 

****

 

Xander hummed quietly to himself as he painted the ‘Welcome Parents’ sign while Willow and Buffy talked quietly and they worked on their ‘Parent-Teacher Night’ sign.

“So, Shelia’s a no show, huh?” Willow asked, at Buffy’s nod she continued, “She goes to this bar. Sometimes they have raids and …other things…”

“Can you help me cram for some French tonight?” Buffy asked, “I don’t want Mr De Jean telling my mother I’m an imbecile.”

“I thought we were going to the Bronze tonight?” Willow frowned, “It’s just…Xander and Angel were gonna show me…” she trailed off as Xander cleared his throat, she said, “I mean…I just thought we were all gonna hang out…”

“We can still go to the Bronze.” Buffy broke in, ignoring Xander snort she continued, “I can study and party, do Parent-Teacher night and make my mother proud as long as I don’t have to…”

“Buffy!” Giles called out.

“Fight vampires.” She finished with a defeated sigh.

“What’s up guys?” Xander asked as Giles and Jenny joined them at the tables.

“We…I…Ms Calendar has been researching, well, ah, surfing on her computer…and she’s …well according to her calculations this Saturday is the Night of St. Vigeous.”

“And I’m guessing he’s not all warm and fuzzy.” Buffy snarked.

“No, no he led a crusade of vampires.” Giles said, he took his glasses off and cleaned them as he said, “They swept through Edessa, Harran and …”

“And they didn’t leave much behind.” Jenny finished.

“”So, Saturday is a big night for bloodsuckers.” Xander said.

“It is a Holy Night of attack.” Jenny explained.

“Well if I survive Parent-Teacher night tomorrow,” Buffy sighed, “I’ll see what I can do about Saturday.”

“This is a serious matter, not something to be rather flippant about.” Giles glared.

“And being kicked out of school is a laugh.” Buffy snapped back.

“Saturday night will need a great deal of preparations.” Giles said.

“Which we can help her with.” Xander said.

“I can help with the research.” Willow offered.

“Yes, and while I appreciate the help, Buffy is the…”

“The Slayer, but she’s not alone.” Xander broke in, “She has us to help. While she’s working on tomorrow night we can get things ready for Saturday and I can talk to Angel see what he knows…”

“Yes, but Buffy is the Slay…Sla…slave, yes slave…your all slaves to your to television.” Giles stammered as he spotted Snyder coming towards them, “Young people these days, goodbye.”

With that both he and Jenny turned and walked away as Snyder reached the table. He glared at Xander and Willow as he said, “You wouldn’t be helping Buffy in Shelia’s place now would you?”

“No, we’re hindering.” Willow said, “But now…now we’re going home… you know homework and stuff…”

With that the two backed up and with a grimace at Buffy they rushed out of the school.

 

****

“So, Saturday?” Xander asked. He was seated at the table, finishing off his homework before he left to go meet Buffy and Willow at the Bronze later that night.   
Angel seated across from him, reading from an ancient tomb, occasionally offering him help, looked up and asked, “What about it?”

“Giles wanted me to ask if there was anything you could tell us that could help?”

“Help with what? What was happening on Saturday?”

“It’s the night of St. Vigeous.” Xander said, with a frown he asked, “Did you forget?”

“Honestly, yes I did.” Angel frowned, “It’s been a long time since I had anything to do with vampire rituals. In fact it’s been a long time since I had anything to do with vampires, to do with anything, humans or vampires. Things like vampire ritual and stuff like that kinda lost all meaning, I guess. For a long time I just drifted, stayed away from everything.”

“Then what changed?” Xander asked.

“When I got my soul back, I tried to ignore it. Tried staying with the other vampires, but the weight of what I’d done was crushing me, it nearly destroyed me.” He paused just looking at Xander before standing and taking his hand. After leading him to the couch, pulled the young man down into his lap with a serious expression he said, “I’m gonna tell you something and you’re going to listen until I’ve finished, okay?” He waited for Xander’s nod before he continued, “For years after I got my soul back I lived in the sewers, living off rats, cats, anything that would keep me alive but away from humans. One day this guy, Whistler found me and convinced me to go and see something important. It was Buffy; she was being approached by her Watcher for the first time. We watched the first time she fought a vampire and I just …I wanted to help. And it wasn’t because it was Buffy, it was…it was …here was this young and innocent girl going out to fight these monsters and I was hiding in the sewers, when I could be out there helping. I wanted to help because I knew I could.”

“So, you followed her to Sunnydale. Dude that’s kinda stalkerish.” He said, not sure how he felt about that.

“No.” Angel snorted, “I moved to Sunnydale because I knew about the Hellmouth and that the Master was here. It was a surprise when I realised Buffy had moved here, but not that big of a surprise, it’s a Hellmouth so a Slayer would have turned up eventually.”

They sat in silence, each lost in thought before Xander sighed and asked, “So, what do you know about it?

“It’s a Holy night. Our powers are at their strongest. Vampires like to go out and cause a lot of havoc.”

“So a lot of bad, then.”

“Yeah, but we can handle it.” Angel said, placed a gentle kiss on Xander temple, “Tomorrow, you need to stay late for this Parent-Teacher night thing right?”

“Yeah, we’re helping Buffy with her mom and Saturday night.”

“I’ll meet you in the library after?” He asked, “That will give you plenty time for your parents…”

“I doubt they’ll be there.” Xander broke in bitterly.

“Xander…”

“It’s okay, I’m used to it.” Xander shrugged as he climbed out of Angel’s lap and stood up.

“But you shouldn’t have to be used to it.” Angel snapped, standing up.

“Angel,” Xander sighed, he faced Angel and cupped his face in his hands he smiled and said, “Your right, I shouldn’t be used to it, but I am and it is okay because I have you and Willow and I am happy.”

“You are?” Angel asked, arms wrapped snugly around the boys waist.

“Yes, very.” He smiled at him.

“Good, because you make me happy too.” Angel murmured against Xander’s lips as he pulled him into a kiss.

Angel turned and pushed Xander up against the wall as he deepened the kiss, he smiled at Xander’s moan of pleasure. He pulled back and rested his forehead against Xander’s and said, “As much as I’m enjoying this, you have to go and meet Willow.”

“No…no…this…this is good…” Xander panted as he pouted up at Angel who took a step back.

“No. Willow. Go.” Angel stated.

Xander smiled and took a step forward and smiled, “But you really don’t want me to leave.”

“Xander.” Angel growled glaring at the boy, because he was right. He didn’t want him to go, but it didn’t matter what he wanted, what they both wanted, he knew they weren’t ready, that Xander wasn’t ready yet, “Willow will be waiting for you.”

Xander laughed as he stepped around Angel and grabbed his jacket, with a “See you later” he left the apartment with a frustrated Angel behind.

He was still smiling as he met up with Willow. 

She eyed him warily as she asked, “What’s got you so happy?”

“I’m happy.” He shrugged as they walked towards the Bronze.

“You just came from Angel’s huh?” She smirked.

“Shut up,” he blushed lightly, “I told you Giles asked me to ask Angel about Saturday, it was just easier to ask at his place.”

“I’m sure it was.” She said, still smirking.

“No! It was…it isn’t…I mean…we haven’t…” he stammered with a blush, “We haven’t done anything, yet. Just some kissing and stuff.”

“You…you haven’t?” She asked surprised.

“I want to.” Xander said, he lowered his voice as the came closer to the Bronze and saw Buffy waiting for them, “But I’m not…ready yet.”

“That’s okay.” Willow smiled at him, “And it’s good that Angel is happy waiting,” she frowned at him and said, “He is happy waiting right? Because if he isn’t, if he’s…”

“He is.” Xander broke in with a smile as he remembered how he had left Angel. He nodded to where an impatiently waiting Buffy stood and said, “Come on, don’t want to keep her waiting.”

 

****

 

The Bronze was packed as the Band played. Xander danced amongst the students as Buffy and Willow studied at the table. Tired of dancing by himself he made his way over to their table.

“Hey, guys, I’m alone out there…somebody has to dance with me.”

“We’re studying.” Willow shrugged.

“Come on, one dance, please.” He pleaded with her, “You’ve been studying for a whole twelve minutes.”

“Twelve minutes.” Buffy smirked, “No wonder my brain is fried.”

She got up and dragged Willow out onto the dance floor. The three friends danced, lost in the music, happy about having some light hearted fun.

“Where’s the phone? I need to call the police, there’s some big guy attacking a girl.” A British voice shouted.

Buffy’s head snapped up before she rushed out of the Bronze, Xander and Willow soon followed her. They found her out in the ally; she pulled the vampire off of the girl. 

Willow grabbed the girl as Buffy shouted, “Get her out of here.” And as she fought the vampire she shouted to Xander, “And a stake would be nice.”

Xander rolled his eyes as he realised the ‘Slayer’ wasn’t carrying a stake. He pulled put his own stake and he tossed it to her as he shouted “Buffy”. She caught it easily and quickly dusted the vampire.

“Nice work love.” Said the same British voice from before.

“Who are you?” She asked.

“You’ll find out on Saturday.” He said.

“What happens on Saturday?”

“I kill you.” He said as he, melted in to the shadows.

 

****

“Spike…you said the vampire called him Spike?” Giles asked, “It’s a rather unusual name for a vampire…maybe he went by another name.”

After the fight outside the Bronze they had left for the library to inform Giles of what had happened. He soon had everyone researching for anything they could on Spike.

“Xander did you ask Angel about Saturday?” Giles asked.

“Ah, yeah, he said it was bad. Vampires powers are at their peak and they like to cause a lot of trouble.”

“So, I’m thinking it might be a good time to take that vacation.” Willow half joked, “It’s not like we’re running away, just going on holiday, a holiday we deserve.”

“Especially if that Spike guy is leading the charge.” Buffy agreed.

“Well, he can’t be any worse than any of the other creatures that you have faced.” Giles said.

“He’s worse.” Angel said, suddenly appearing from the shadows, “Once he starts something he doesn’t stop until everything in his path is destroyed.”

“So, he’s goal oriented.” Xander said, he stood up and turned to Angel and smiled, he asked, “What are you doing here?”

“I went to the Bronze to see you,” he shrugged, “You weren’t there, so I came here.”

“Yeah, we ran in to …”

“I think we have more important things to worry about.” Buffy snapped, interrupting Xander.

“Yes, right.” Giles said, “Angel do you know if this Spike fellow went by any other name?”

When he received no answer they all turned to look and see that he had left as silently as he had arrived.

“I’m getting him a bell.” Xander muttered as he slumped back down into his seat.

 

**** **** ****

 

Everyone was crowded around the library table. They were getting prepared for Saturday. Willow was standing over the weapons as she checked over a crossbow, Xander and Cordelia were seated at the table as they whittled away at pieces of wood to make stakes.

Buffy stood at the head of the table as she prepared a vegetable tray for tonight’s parent teacher night.

“Does anyone remember when Saturday meant date night?” Xander groaned.

“You sure don’t.” Cordelia smirked.

“Hey, hands up those of us that have a boyfriend.” He snapped back at her.

“Parents are arriving in an hour.” Buffy broke in, both to stop any bickering between the two and to stop Xander from talking about his relationship with Angel. “Banners are in place, the lounge is comfy…what am I forgetting?”

“Punch?” Willow suggested.

“I need punch.” Buffy nodded, as she turned and walked out of the library.

“Xander, did you speak to Angel about this Spike?” Giles asked as he came out of his office.

“I…I didn’t see Angel last night.” He shrugged.

“Right, well, I guess I’ll keep looking.” Giles sighed as he sat down.

“My fingers are cramping.” Cordelia complained, “How long have I been doing this?”

“Five minutes.” Xander smirked.

“If you don’t want to work on the stakes anymore, you could help me with researching this Spike fellow.” Giles offered, missing the look of disbelief on their faces.

“Oh, gee, that would be much more exciting.” Cordelia mocked, “Be still my heart.” As she went back to her stake.

 

****

 

Xander continued to work on the stakes, even after Cordelia had declared that she had had enough and stalked out of the library.

“Oh there you are.” Giles mumbled, mostly to himself.

“Who?” Jenny asked.

“Our friend Spike.” Giles explained, “He’s known as William the Bloody. He got his name Spike because he tortured his victims with railroad spikes. Well, here is some good news; he’s barely 200 years old, that’s younger than Angel…oh…”

“That’s not a good look.” Xander said when he looked up after Giles had trailed off.

“Willow’s suggestion of a holiday might not have been a bad idea.” Giles said, he looked up, frightened, “Spike has faced two Slayers and … and he has killed both…”

A sudden commotion of noise outside of the library made them jump up and rush out into the hallways.

“What…” Giles started.

“Spike and a small army.” Buffy shouted at them as she ushered a small group, including her mom, into an empty classroom, “Look out!”

Xander turned to see three vampires running down the corridor towards them. He threw up his hands and flung the vampires back down the corridor and pushed Giles and Jenny back into the library.

“Good job,” Giles said, patting Xander on the back, “Barricade the door.”

Jenny and Xander used chairs to block the door as Giles picked up the phone, “Its dead, they cut the phone lines.” He turned to Xander and said, “There’s an older boarded up cellar behind the stacks. You have to go and find Angel; he knows about Spike and should be able to help.”

“No, I’m not going anywhere until I know Willow is safe.”

“No one will be alight unless we get some help.” Giles insisted, “Out of the three of us, you are the one that could make your way out there and find help.”

Xander finally nodded and made his way out the back of the stacks through the cellar and finally outside.

He saw a few vampires doted about here and there as he made his way across the school grounds. He reached the gates before he was spotted by two vampires who grabbed him. He fought them off easily, dusting the first one before turning around ready to dust the second, only to stop before dusting his own boyfriend.

“Seriously, getting you a bell.” Xander grumbled.

“What’s going on?” Angel asked a little smirk on his face from having snuck up on Xander.

“Apparently, this Spike couldn’t wait until tomorrow and decided to attack today.”

“Spike always was impatient.” Angel grimaced.

“You…you really do know him?” Xander asked, at Angel’s nod he asked, “Okay, so do you know how we can stop him?”

“Do you trust me?” Angel asked.

“Always.” Xander answered instantly.

“Then trust me.” Angel smiled at him, pleased with the quick answer and cupped the back of Xander’s head and pulled him into his chest and said, “Come with me.”

With that he dragged Xander into the school looking for Spike. He growled at any vampires that came too close to him and Xander.

“Spike.” He growled, when he found him in a corridor, stabbing at the ceiling with a pole.

“Angules.” Spike shouts happily.

“Spike.” Angel growled, gamed faced, tightening his grip on Xander.

“”I’ll be dammed.” Spike smiles, he tossed the pole aside and came towards them and hugs Angel.

“I taught you to always guard your perimeter,” he tsked, “You should have someone out there.”

“I did but I’m surrounded by idiots.” He groaned, “What’s new with you?”

“Everything.” Angel shrugged.

“Come up against the Slayer yet?” Spike asked.

“She’s cute. Not quite bright though.” Angel smirked, “Gave her the old I’m all tortured act. Keeps her off my back while I feed.”

“People still fall for that Anne Rice routine?” Spike laughed.

“I know you were lying…” Xander snapped. He trailed off as Angel growled and grabbed his hair. He pulled his head back and exposed his neck.

“Wanna share before we kill her?” Angel asked as he offered the struggling boy to Spike.

Spike took a step towards them as he asked, “Haven’t seen you on the killing fields for an age?”

“Not much for company.” Angel shrugged as he settled a struggling Xander against his chest.

“No you never were.” Spike agreed, “So, why are you scared of the Slayer?”

“Scared?”

“Time was you would have taken her out in a heartbeat.” Spike said, “Now look at you. This tortured soul thing is an act, right? You’re not housebroken are you?”

“Hey, I saw her kill the Master.” Angel said, insulted, “But if you think you can take her on your own, be my guest. I’ll just eat and run.”

“Don’t be silly. We’re old friends, we’ll do it together. Let’s eat.” Spike said, he stepped in close to them and, holding Angel’s gaze as they lowered their heads to Xander neck. Suddenly Spike reared back and punched Angel I the face. Angel fell back and pulled Xander back with him, Spike growled, “You think you can fool me, you were my Sire, you were my Yoda.”

“Things change.” Angel said, he stood and took a step back from Xander, ensuing that he wouldn’t get in the boy’s way when they started to fight.

“Not us. Not demons. Man I can’t believe this.” Spike spat as he and Angel began to circle each other while Xander kept an eye on the vampires that had circled them, “This isn’t a spectators sport,” Spike growled at them.

Xander spotted Buffy coming in the door at the opposite end of the corridor; he tugged Angel through the door just as the other vampire jumped and chased after them, leaving Spike with Buffy.

He needed to find Willow. He and Angel quickly dealt with the vampires that had followed them and began searching for her, dusting for any vampires that they came across.

When the vampires started to run away, Angel explained that it meant that Spike had either been killed or he had retreated. 

They soon found Willow locked up in a supply closet with Cordelia.

“You okay?” Xander asked, as he hugged both the girls, hiding a smile as Angel awkwardly hugged them back after they hugged him.

“I’m fine, fine. Just glad to get away from…I mean out of the closet.” She stumbled, ignoring the glare she received from Cordelia, “So I take it we won?”

“Yeah, I think we did.” Xander nodded.

“We’re not dead, so I’m counting it a win.” Angel deadpanned.

“Oh, good. Does that mean we can go home now, cause no offense to you guys, I know you like this and all, but I have a life, you know…”

 

****

 

Once they had been reassured that Buffy, her mum, Giles and Jenny were all okay, Xander and Angel had walked Cordelia and Willow home before they made their way to Angel’s apartment. They quickly washed up and got ready for bed.

“Can I ask you something?” Xander asked, as he climbed into bed and watched as Angel finished getting ready.

“Sure.” Angel nodded as he picked up his book and stood at the side of the bed, waiting.

“When you gave Spike my neck, why didn’t you punch him before he punched you?”

“I had to see if he was buying it or not.”

“And if he had bitten me what then?”

“Then we would have known he had bought it.” He smirked, he climbed into bed and pulled Xander into his chest as he brushed a hand through Xander hair and said, “You know I would never have let him hurt you?”

“I know.” Xander nodded, smiled up at him. He curled up in Angel’s arms and asked, “So, what’s a Sire?”

“It’s someone who turns a vampire.” Angel answered.

“So you made Spike into a vampire?”

“Yes, but it’s more than just turning them.” Angel said, he pulled the covers up and over them, he settled them against the pillows as he said, “I made him into what he is today, I taught him everything it was to be a vampire, a monster.” He paused, as he waited for Xander to say anything, before saying, “I…I’ve done a lot of things…things…things I’m not ready to think about never mind talk about, right now.”

“Okay.” Xander nodded sleepily, as he snuggled into Angel.

“Okay?” He asked, raised eyebrow.

“Yeah, I trust you.” Xander nodded, “I know you’re a vampire Angel and I know you did some…bad things, and I know that when you are ready to talk about them, I’ll be here.”

“Thank you.” Angel mumbled, as he placed a kiss on Xander temple.

“Love you.” Xander whispered, sleepily.

“Love you too.” Angel said he tightened his grip on Xander’s as the boy fell asleep; he picked up his book and settled in to watch over Xander as he began to read.


	4. Inca Mummy Girl

“It’s not fair.” Buffy huffed as she, Willow and Xander walked up the stairs to the National History Museum, which the students of Sunnydale High were visiting on a field trip.

“I don’t think it’s that bad.” Willow said.

“It’s the uber-suck.” Buffy huffed, “Mom could have at least warned me.”

“Well, a lot of parents are doing it this year.” Xander offered. “It’s part of the whole cultural exchange thing. The exhibit, the dance…”

“I have the best costume for the dance…” Willow broke in excitedly.

“A complete stranger in my house, for two weeks.” Buffy whined, ignoring the other two, “I’m gonna go insane, I swear.”

Xander rolled his eyes at Buffy’s childish attitude as he said, “I think the student exchange program’s kinda cool.”

“Have you done the exchange program before?” she asked.

“My dad tried to sell me to some Armenians once. Does that count?” He joked.

Willow laughed as Buffy rolled her eyes and walked past him and into the museum. They slowly made their way around the museum until they stopped at a display case and Buffy noticed Rodney Munson scraping at a mask.

“What’s he doing?” She asked.

“That’s Rodney Munson. He’s god’s gift to the bell curve.” Xander said as they watched him scare off another student. “What he lacks in smarts he makes up in lack of smarts.”

“You just don’t like him cause of those five years that he beat you up.” Willow joked.

“Yes, I’m irrational that way.” He said, ignoring Buffy as she smirked at him.

“I should stop him before he gets in trouble.” Buffy said.

“I got it. I think the none violent approach is best.” Willow said and walked over to Rodney.

“I wasn’t gonna use violence. I don’t always use violence.” She pouted. She looked up at Xander and asked, “Do I?”

“The important thing is that you believe that.” He smirked at her.

 

****

 

Xander waved goodnight to Willow as he turned back and began to walk to Angel’s. He smiled as he thought of going back there, he had spent pretty much every night at Angel’s since school started, but his boyfriend hadn’t said anything so he didn’t think Angel minded.

He frowned when he thought about how he never thought about going home anymore and how on the few occasions that he did go home his mother was always at work and his father passed out on the couch, he wasn’t sure if he was even missed. 

It hadn’t always been this way. Before his grams had died his mom had always been there for him. She had been bright and bubbly and had been very close to both him and her mother.

She and grams would spend all their free time in the kitchen. He, Jesse and Willow used come home from school to the smell of fresh baked bread. His grams and mom used to try and get him into the kitchen and help but his father’s cruel teasing killed any interest he had in helping.

Things only started to get really bad when his dad hurt his back, lost his job and started to drink more. His mom had had to pick up extra shifts to cover his dad’s loss of income. He never blamed his mom for never being around, he understood that she was exhausted from working all the time, he just wished that she would tell his dad to get help or get lost. At first it was okay because he still had his grams but after she died his dad began to drink even more, which meant Willow and Jesse stopped coming round and he spent most of his time in his room hiding from his dad or over Willow’s or Jesse's house.

He walked into Angel’s apartment to find the older man sitting in the chair reading the Book of Shadows.

“Hey, what are you doing?” He asked as he kicked off his shoes.

“Just reading.” Angel shrugged; he closed the book and placed it on the table as he pulled Xander down onto his lap and asked, “Are you ok?”

“Yeah, why?”

“You seem a little sad.”

“I’m fine, was just thinking about my grams.” Xander said.

“You wanna talk about her?” Angel asked.

“Just …I remember how when my mom had the late shift at the hospital she used to tell me the best bed time stories, although now that I think about it, from what I’ve read from that book some of the stories that she told me might not be so much made up as and more a pg version of things that may have happened to her in the past.”

“Yeah, tell me one of your favourites.” Angel said as he wrapped his arms more securely around Xander.

Xander settled more comfortably on Angel’s lap, head resting on his shoulder as he began to tell his story.

 

**** **** ****

 

“Morning.” Xander mumbled as he walked in to the kitchen area and sat down at the table.

“Morning.” Angel smiled at him as he placed a plate of pancakes in front of him. He asked, “What’s your plan for today?”

“School.” He shrugged as he began his breakfast. “Some studying with Willow, she’s gonna help me with Trig. Giles want Buffy and me to do some training together, will you be there?”

“Make’s sense, you two will work together. It will allow us to see where your strengths and weaknesses are and yeah I’ll be there.”

Xander nodded and took a bite of pancake before he asked, “The Culture exchange dance is tomorrow night at the Bronze, Willow and I are gonna go, if you wanna meet up with us later?”

“I’ll be there.” Angel smiled, happy that Xander understood that he didn’t like being around big crowds.

Xander smiled back as he finished his breakfast, he stood up and said, “I need to wash up before I head to school.”

Angel nodded as he began to clean up as Xander headed to the bathroom.

 

****

 

Xander walked into the library to find Buffy and Giles in the middle of training, both in the defensive position with Giles holding a padded training pad.

“…come on Giles, no one likes a none budger.” She said, as they continued to stare at each other in a silent battle of wills, Buffy took a step back, ready to deliver a hard kick.

“Fine!” Giles called out, “You can go.”

“Yay, I win.” Buffy smiled as she danced a little.

“Win what?” Xander asked as he walked over to the counter and leaned against it. He grimaced in sympathy as Giles walked into his office and mumbled something about an ice pack. 

“I get to go to the dance.” She said. She turned to him and asked, “Are you still going?”

“Yep.” Xander nodded.

“Are you still going with Willow?” She asked, at Xander’s nod she added, “As your date?”

“No, not as my date.” He said with a roll of his eyes, “Angel, who I am dating, is going to meet us there.”

“I know…just…you and Willow …”

“Are best friends, have been best friends since we were five.” Xander interrupted.

“And after all these years you’ve never once thought of Willow as more of a friend?” She asked.

“No, I’ve always thought of her as my sister.”

She watched him for a moment before smirking lightly and asked, “What about Jesse? Was he always just a friend or was Angel the first guy you’ve ever been interested in?”

Xander studied her before answering. She tried to seem like she was asking in a friend-like manner, but he could see from the tightening of her shoulders and the tense set of her mouth that she was angry and spoiling for a fight.

He took a deep breath to calm himself down before he said, “You know what, Buffy? I’m not doing this.” He pushed away from the counter and walked passed her to sit down on the table.

“Doing what?” Buffy asked, innocently, “I was just asking a question.”

“No, you weren’t. You were…you were being petty… whatever…” he took another deep calming breath before he said, “My relationship with Angel is none of your business.”

“Yes, it…” she snapped her mouth shut as she too took a deep breath before she plastered a small smile on her face and tried, “Well, I thought we were friends. I’m just trying to …” she trailed off as Willow rushed into the library.

“Guys, what is going on?” She greeted warily as she noticed the tension between her friends.

“Nothing.” Xander said, not wanting to pull Willow into the argument he asked, “What have you been up to?”

“I was supposed to be tutoring Rodney, only he never turned up. I checked with the admission office and they said that Rodney never came to school this morning.”

“Trouble with Mr Munson?” Giles asked as he walked out of his office, ice pack held to his shoulder.

“Yes,” Willow answered Giles, “His mom said he never came home last night.”

“You know, I don’t think I remember seeing Rodney on the bus back to school.” Buffy added.

“I didn’t either. I hope he didn’t get into trouble at the museum.” Willow said.

“Maybe he awakened the mummy.” Xander joked.

“Right and it rose from its tomb.” Willow giggled.

“And attacked him.” Buffy added as she joined in on the joke.

Their smiles and laughter faded into grimaces as they realised that the idea may not be that far-fetched.

“Or he could have just stepped out for a smoke?” Willow suggested.

“For 21 hours.” Xander asked, doubtfully.

“It’s addictive.” She defended.

“Yes, well, we’ll deal with that possibility once we’ve ruled out evil mummies.” Giles said, “We should go to the museum and check things out.”

“Just, let me quickly get changed first.” Buffy said as she quickly grabbed her bag and walked out of the library and headed to the girl's locker room.

 

****

“One day I’m gonna live in a town were evil curses are just generally ruled out without even saying.” Buffy mumbled as they climbed the platform to the coffin. They gave a sigh of relief when they saw the mummy still in the coffin.

“There was a seal?” Giles asked them as he studied the mummy.

“It was right there.” Buffy said as she nodded at the mummy.

“But it’s broken now.” Xander said as he picked up a large piece of the plate.

Giles took it from Xander and as he studied it he said, “This is a series of pictograms.”

Willow yelped as a man came out of nowhere and jumped up behind Xander and swung at him with a large knife. Xander turned quickly and blocked the blow, kicking him away. The man stumbled into the coffin, jumping back in surprise, fear evident on his face as he turned and ran away.

“What the hell was that?” Xander snapped.

“I’m…I… I don’t know…” Giles said, “We should …we’ll worry about the details later, first we should get out of here before he comes back.”

Giles began to lead the trio down the platform only to stop as Willow asked.

“Giles, were the Incas very advanced?”

“Yes, very.”

“Did they have orthodontists?” She asked from where she was looking down at the head of the mummy and seeing that he had braces on.

 

****

 

“Rodney looked like he had been dead for five hundred years, how?” Willow asked as they all settled down around the library table.

“Well I would say that we could ask the crazy man with the knife but I don’t think he was particularly chatty.” Xander said.

“Not to mention how he bailed after he saw Rodney. I’d say he was just as freaked as we were.” Buffy added.

“My resources are severely limited; it could take me weeks to translate these pictograms. We’ll have to start tonight…”

“Ampata!” Buffy shouted, interrupting Giles as she jumped out of her seat, “I’m late. I told mom that I’d pick him up.”

“Buffy, I think our priorities should be focused on trying to find this mummy.” Giles said.

“Ampata is there alone and he’s from South America. I don’t know how good his English is.” Buffy said, before she brightened and added, “He’s from South America…he could…maybe he could translate…”

“It’s a possibility.” Giles said.

“Come on, I don’t want to leave him there too long.” She said as she turned and walked out of the library, Willow and Xander following her.

 

****

 

“Forty minutes late. Welcome to America.” Buffy muttered as they arrived at the bus station to find it dark and empty.

“Maybe he left already?” Willow offered.

“And go where?” Buffy snapped, as she banged, frustrated, on the door. “My mom is going to kill me.” She bit out as she stormed away from the building and shouted, “Ampata! Ampata!”

“So, question. Do we need to speak Spanish cause I only know Doritos and Chihuahua.” Xander frowned.

“Ampata!” Buffy shouted ignoring him.

“Here.” A sweet feminine voice called out.

They turned to see a beautiful girl step out between two buses, “Hello, I am Ampata.”

“Hi,” Buffy smiled.

All three looked confused at her as they were expecting a boy.

 

****

 

Xander and Willow sat in at the kitchen as Buffy gave Ampata a brief tour of the house.

“Hey, are you okay?” He asked her.

“Yeah, yeah.” She said, head nodding, “It’s just…”

She trailed off as Buffy and Ampata walked in to the kitchen.

“Would you like something to drink?” Buffy asked as she walked over to the fridge and opened it, “We have milk or juice?”

“Some juice please.” Ampata smiled.

“So, Ampata you’re a girl, cause you know we were expecting a boy.” Xander said.

“I guess it was it…it was just…a …crazy mix up…right…” Willow said, laughing nervously.

“So, have you been to America before?” he asked, throwing a concerned glance at Willow.

“I…I have toured.” Ampata said, as she accepted a glass of juice from Buffy.

“Where…where have you been?” Willow asked as she accepted her own glass and handed one to Xander.

“I was taken to Boston, Atlanta, New York…”

“New York!” Buffy said as she joined them with some snacks and her own juice, “What was that like?”

“I did not see much.” She said sadly.

“Well, I should get going.” Xander said as he stood up, “I’m supposed to be meeting Angel and I’m gonna be late if I don’t leave soon. It was nice meeting you Ampata, see you at school tomorrow.” He turned to Willow and asked, “Do you want me to walk you home?”

Willow nodded and stood up and after they said their goodbyes made their way home.

 

**** **** ****

 

“Have you made up your mind yet?” Willow asked, as they made their way across the school grounds.

“No, but I’ve defiantly ruled out anything with ruffles, feathers and lederhosen.” He joked.

“I’ve been working really hard on mine, but I think I want to change it.” She said with a slight frown.

“Why are you suddenly changing it now?” Xander asked, but he frowned when he realised that she wasn’t paying attention to him but was watching Buffy and Ampata arriving at school.

“Hey are you okay?” He asked.

“What…yes…yeah I’m fine.” She said, “Come on we should get to the library.”

She turned to go but Xander grabbed her arm and turned her back to face him and said, “You know you can talk to me right?”

She smiled and nodded at him before telling him softly, “I know and I will…I just…I’m still working through it…when I’m ready I’ll talk to you, I promise.”

“Okay.” He smiled at her and threw his arm over her shoulder and began walking towards the library.

 

****

 

“Giles, this is Ampata.” Buffy introduced as the gang all settled down around the table.

“Nice to meet you.” Giles said as he thrust the broken plate at her, “I was wondering if you could translate this for me?”

“That was in no way awkward.” Buffy rolled her eyes, noticing Ampata had tensed up she asked, “Is something wrong?”

“No…no…why…why are you asking me?” Ampata asked.

“Ah…well…it’s an artefact from your region…and we were hoping that you could …”

“We hoped you could translate it for us, it’s a project for our… archaeology club.” Buffy finished for Giles.

Ampata frowned at the plate as she said, “It is broken, where are the other pieces?”

“That’s…that’s all we found.” Willow blushed as Ampata turned to look at her.

“It is very old and valuable. You must hide it and keep it safe.” She said as she handed it back to Giles.

“Do you recognise anything?” Giles asked, leaning towards her and pointing to a picture and asked, “Maybe this fellow with the knife?”

“Well…I’m not sure, but…I…I think; I believe the word is bodyguard. The legend states the he guards the mummy from those that would disturb her.”

“Interesting.” Giles said, “This is…very…it’s a starting point…but we have still a lot of work…”

“And as president of the club, I have a lot of research and …stuff to do…Willow could you…” 

“Help you out with the research while Xander shows Ampata around school.” Willow interrupted Buffy, and began sorting through some books, ignoring the frowns of the other two, and said, “I’d be happy to.”

“Yes, that will be fun!” Ampata said, excitedly.

“Yeah, I…I can do that.” Xander said as he stood up and throw a concerned look at Willow before he turned and lead Ampata out of the library.

Buffy watched as a clearly excited Ampata followed Xander out of the library. She turned back to Willow and said, “She really likes Xander, huh?” When she got no response she added, “I wonder if he likes her too.”

Willow looked and frowned at the calculated look she saw on Buffy’s face and said, “Sure, I guess they like each other.”

“I wonder if he’ll ask her to the dance?” 

“I’m sure he’ll ask her if she want to join us.” Willow offered tentatively.

“Well, won’t that be an awkward date. You know with the two of us tagging along.” Buffy said.

“Then it’s a good thing that it’s not a date, isn’t it?” Willow said, “Besides, it will really be just us three girls for most of the night. Angel is going to be meeting Xander at the club.”

“Angel’s going to be there?” She asked as she tried to look uninterested. She wasn’t sure how she felt about Angel coming to the party. On the one hand she would get to see Angel, spend some time with him and make him realise that he was making a mistake being with Xander, but on the other hand she would have to see Xander and Angel together.

“Yeah, Xander asked him.” Willow shrugged.

“Well, I guess it’s gonna be a group date. You, Xander and Ampata, Me and Angel.” She said, trying to hide her smile.

Willow scowled at the way Buffy had phrased it, “Buffy…”

Both girls jumped as Giles dumped a pile of books on the table, “If we could …we need to translate the plate…” he said as he handed out some books to the girls, “Willow if you could see what you can find out about the bodyguard and this legend that Ampata was talking about and Buffy if you could…”

“I’ll see if I can decipher any more of the symbols.” Buffy finished for him with a smile.

“Thank you.” Giles nodded before he turned and walked back into his office.

Willow turned back to Buffy. She was reading the book Giles had handed her. She frowned as she tried to decide if she should say something to Buffy about what she had said earlier but she didn’t want to start any unnecessary arguments. She knew Buffy was still hurt over Angel and Xander’s relationship but she had hoped that she was getting over it and moving on, beside she was a little preoccupied by her own crisis at the moment.

Biting her lip she shook her head and began to read the book Giles had given her.

 

****

 

Xander had lead Ampata out into the field and up onto the bleachers. She was laughing as he had stuffed the whole Twinkie into his mouth. Wiping his mouth clean he said, “Delicious.”

“Yes, but now I cannot try it.” She pouted.

“Ah, but that’s why you bring two.” He grinned as he pulled a second Twinkie out of his bag and handed it to her.

She smiled at him as she took it from him. She opened it and crammed out it into her mouth, just as Xander had. 

“Mm…it is very good.” She laughed, “I like it.”

“Good.” He laughed as he smiled at her, his eyes widened in alarm as the man from the museum lunged at them. Xander pushed Ampata away as the man landed on top of him. They rolled onto the lower seat before Xander was able to kick the man off of him. 

“You have stolen the Seal. Where is it?” The man said as he stood up and lunged at Xander.

Ampata screamed which caused the man to freeze and turn to her, his eyes widened in fear.

“You!” He said as he backed away and ran down the stairs.

Xander panted as he sat up and turned to Ampata and asked, “Are you okay?”

“I…I …” she gasped as she stared after the retreating man.

“Come on.” Xander said as he stood up and pulled Ampata up, “We...we should …go back to the library.”

 

****

 

“Ha!” Buffy cried happily before she frowned and added, “or a possible ha!” 

“You found something?” Giles asked as he came up behind Buffy.

“Yes, I think so.” She said as she leaned back in her chair, allowing Giles to lean over her and look into the microscope.

“Good lord.” Giles said, shocked as he inspected the seal. He turned to Buffy and said, “Good work.”

“My work?” She asked pleased.

“Yes, this is…most…it seems …it seems that Rodney’s killer may actually be the mummy.” He explained.

“Where does it say that?” Willow asked.

“Well…this…this implies that the mummy…that the mummy is capable of…feeding on the life force of a person, effectively freeze-drying them…extraordinary…”

“So, we have to find the mummy?” Buffy asked, “Okay, how do we find it and what do we do once we have found it?”

“I assume the answer to that will be on here…somewhere…” he began to explain, but he was cut off as Xander and Ampata ran into the library.

“You are never gonna believe what just happened to us.” Xander panted.

 

****

 

“Thank you.” Ampata smiled at Giles as she accepted the cup of tea from him. They were seated around the table and Xander had quickly explained what had happened to then at the bleachers.

“What does this guy want?” Willow asked.

“The seal.” Xander shrugged.

“This is obviously more valuable than we thought.” Giles said as he studied the plate.

“Please, I…you must understand.” Ampata pleaded, fear in her voice, “That seal…it is very dangerous…it almost got us killed.”

“Nobody’s gonna hurt you.” Willow said.

“I don’t…this is dangerous… I do not want…I just want normal life.” She cried as she jumped out of her seat and ran out of the library, crying.

“Ampata!” Willow shouted as she jumped out of her seat and ran after her.

Xander and Buffy shared a look of surprise at their friend’s action before Xander stood and followed her.

 

****

 

Willow had jumped up and ran after Ampata before she knew what she was doing. She found her sitting on the bench not far from the library. 

“Hey.” She said as came up and sat down beside her.

“Hello.” Ampata said, giving her a shy smile, “I am sorry…I just…”

“No, it’s okay.” Willow reassured her, “You were scared, you were attacked, you’re allowed to be scared.”

“I just want…a normal and safe life…”

“I know.” Willow nodded, before she smiled and said, “I have an idea. Why don’t you come to the dance with me?”

“Together?” 

“Yes.” She said, with a blush she stammered, “Well, I mean together with me…and Xander and Buffy…like a group…”

“Ah…” Ampata nodded, before she asked, shyly, “Xander…is he…?”

“Oh, Xander is seeing someone.” 

“Oh…” Ampata said, disappointed, “I will be right back.” She said as she stood up and walked into the bathroom.

Willow jumped as Xander came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder, “Sorry, how is she?”

“Scared.” She shrugged, she blushed lightly and tucked her hair behind her ear as she added, “I…I asked her to come to the dance…with us…”

“Ah…that’s a good idea.” He smiled at her.

Willow nodded and smiled as Ampata came out of the bathroom and smiled at them as she said, “Yes, I will go to the party with you.”

“Great.” Willow beamed at her blush still light on her checks.

Xander bit his lip to try and stop from smiling too much as he thought he had finally figured out what has Willow acting so strange. He tried to think of some way to casually bring it up but decided to wait until she was ready to talk to him as he followed the two girls down the corridor.

 

****

 

Back in the library Buffy and Giles were both studying the seal. Buffy sat back in her seat and asked, “I don’t get why this guy is so fixated on this plate.”

“Perhaps he needs all the pieces to be able to recreate the seal?” Giles offered.

“If he has them?”

“Well we didn’t find them.” Giles said, as he looked down at Buffy and added, “But if he doesn’t have them, then they could still be at the museum.”

“So, we should go and find them, maybe he’ll show up too.” Buffy said, smilingly brightly as she cheered, “Hey, look at us, we came up with a plan. A good plan.”

“Alright, we’ll meet there tonight, after it closes.”

“No! Bad plan. I have other plans. Dance plans.” She pouted, but at Giles stern look she sighed, “Cancelled plans.”

She pouted as she watched Giles walk into his office and mumbled, “Cancel plan ‘wow Angel with my hot outfit’.”

 

****

 

Angel smiled as he watched Xander get ready,

“You never put much thought into your costume, did you?” he asked.

Xander shrugged as he adjusted his poncho over his shoulders and put on his cowboy hat, “What do you think?”

“You look good.” Angel reassured him.

“Are you still coming?” He asked.

“Yeah, I’ll be there.” He smiled as he pulled him into his arms and lightly kissed him.

“Okay, I’ve got to go and pick up the girls.” Xander said, kissing him quickly before he turned and left.

On the drive to Willow’s he tried to think of a safe way to bring up what he thought might be bothering her, but he needn’t of bothered as soon as she had sat in the car she turned to him and asked,

“How…how did you know you liked Angel?”

“I…I’m not…I’m not…you know how at first we…or I didn’t like Angel…but I …after a while I started to get excited to see him,” at Willow’s blush and snort he chuckled, “Not like that…like I couldn’t wait to see him and just to talk to him, to just spend time with him.”

“But…but how …how did you know you were attracted to him?” she asked, blushing.

“The same way any guy knows he’s attracted to someone.” He said, blushing just as fiercely.

“Oh.” She sat in silence before biting her lip and shyly said, “I think…I think I’m attracted to Ampata.”

“Okay.” Xander nodded.

“Just okay.” She frowned at him.

“Well, yeah.” He shrugged, “Willow whether your dating a guy or a girl I’m still gonna love you, your still gonna be my Wills.” He waited before she smiled at him and added, “Beside it would be a little hypercritical of me to say anything against it, right? I mean I am dating a vampire.”

“Xander.” She laughed, hitting him lightly in the arm, before she turned serious and said, “Thank you.”

“Like I said no problem.” He shrugged before he asked, “Are you gonna do something about it?”

“No! no.” she said as she shook her head, “I think…I think I need to get used to the idea first before…beside she likes you.”

“No she doesn’t.” 

“Yes, she does. She asked about you when I mentioned about her coming to the dance with us.” She laughed as she teased, “You’re just so in love with Angel, you never notice anyone else.”

“I am not.” He muttered, blushing, as he parked the car outside Buffy house.

“Yes, you are.” She laughed as she got out of the car and made her way up the path with him as she added, “It would be sickening if it wasn’t so cute.”

“Shut up.” He muttered as he knocked on the door and said, “By the way, nice costume.”

“Thanks.” She smiled with a light blush as she smoothed down the skirt of her traditional Sari. It was a deep purple with golden design all dotted through it. She wore a pale blue long sleeved top that showed her mid-drift, and a purple shawl thrown over her shoulder.

Buffy opened and gapped at Willow, blinking she said, “Willow you…you look amazing.”

“Thanks.”

“And what are you dressed as, the culture of white trash?” Xander asked as he noticed that she was wearing a white t-shirt and dungarees.

“The culture of Slayer and Watcher mummy hunting.” She said bitterly before she frowned at Xander spaghetti western outfit and asked, “What about you?”

“Leone, it’s in Italy pretending to be Montana.” He shrugged.

Willow gave a little gasp as she grabbed Xander’s arm. Xander turned and looked to where Willow was staring and watched as Ampata came down the stairs.

“Wow, Ampata you look beautiful.” Xander greeted, taking the attention from a blushing Willow.

“Yeah, you look great.” Willow said, sending a grateful look to Xander.

Ampata joined them at the bottom of the stairs and smiled at them as she said, “Thank you.”

“Oh Ampata, Willow you both look wonderful.” Joyce said as she came up behind Buffy, “I wish you could convince Buffy to go with you.”

“I tried, but she is very stubborn.” Ampata smiled at Joyce.

“I’m glad someone else can see it.” Joyce joked, mother and daughter shared a joking glare before Buffy turned to them and said,

“You should go and have a good time.”

She opened the door and the girls walked out chatting quietly as Xander paused and said to Buffy, “Be careful and beep me if you need any help.” 

He waited until she nodded before he followed the girls to the car.

 

****

 

The Bronze was packed with people dressed in various traditional styles of cultures. The band was playing as Cordelia and her Cordettes were dancing. Cordelia paused as she spotted Willow and made her way over to her, surprise written all over her face.

“Whoa, Willow you look…look…”

“Yeah, I know.” Willow shrugged, “I put the costume together at the last minute, so…”

“No, you look…good.” Cordelia said, surprised, “I mean really good.”

“Oh, thanks.” She smiled shyly.

“I should…I should get back.” Cordelia said, as she waved at her friends before she frowned confused at Willow and turned back to go back to her friends.

“What did she want?” Xander asked as he joined her at the table and handed over a drink.

“Just…nothing.” She shrugged.

“So, I think we should dance.” He said, changing the topic.

The girls nodded and placed their drinks on the table before they walked out onto the dance floor. The trio danced until the band changed to playing a slow dance song and they slowly made their way back to their table, allowing the couples to dance.

“Ah…ah…hi, I was wondering if you would like to dance, with me?” Jonathan asked nervously as he stared at Ampata.

“Oh…” she paused as she cast a quick look to Willow and Xander, who nodded their encouragement, before she turned back to Jonathan and said, “I would like that.”

Willow watched as they walked onto the dance floor and as Ampata moved into Jonathan arms she sat down with a sigh.

“Hey, you wanna dance?” Xander asked, wanting to cheer her up.

She smiled and shook her head and asked, “Can we…can we just talk?”

“Yeah, of course we can.” He smiled as he sat down with her.

 

****

 

Buffy glared at Giles as soon as she opened the door.

“Ah good you’re here?” He said.

“Yep, not at the dance, with my friends.” She glared at him, “What are you doing here. I thought we were supposed to meet at the museum?”

“We were, but I’m afraid the bodyguard was found in the girl’s bathroom at school”

“Why would the mummy kill her own bodyguard?” She asked.

“Because he wasn’t the mummy’s bodyguard.” He said as he stepped into the house, holding up a book, “I was able to translate the rest of the pictograms. It said that the guard was there to stop the mummy from awakening and escaping – I would say he was more if a prison guard.”

“So, Ampata translated it wrong?” Buffy asked, she thought for a bit before she added, “She was wiggy about the seal from minute one.” She paused as her eyes widened in realisation, “Her trunks.”

“What?” Giles asked, confused as he followed Buffy as she ran up the stairs and into her bedroom.

He found her kneeling in front of the trunks, she had already broken the lock and opened the trunk as she turned to Giles and asked, “What kind of girl travels with a mummified corpse?”

“I don’t understand. Are you implying that Ampata is the mummy?” He asked.

“It makes sense.” she shrugged, “The Ampata that I was to be expecting was supposed to be a boy.” She paused as she stood up and opened up another trunk and pulled out some boys clothes and added, “She killed Ampata and took his place.”

“If she doesn’t get a continuous supply of victims she will return to her mummified state.” Giles said, “And she’s going to need another victim soon.”

“She said she wanted a normal life, a life of fun and dating.” She turned to Giles alarmed said, “Willow and Xander.”

“We should get to the museum and finish repairing the seal.” Giles said as she turned and walked out of her room, Buffy following him.

 

****

 

Xander frowned as he looked around the dance floor as he realised that he could no longer see Ampata or Jonathan.

“Hey, can you see Ampata?” He asked Willow.

“No and I can’t see Jonathan either.” She said.

They both stood up and began to look for them. Not finding them on the lower floor they decided to split up so that Willow could check the bathroom and Xander could look around the balcony. Once he had checked and could find neither of them he came back downstairs to find Willow.

He smiled when he saw Angel walk through the doors, “Hey,” he greeted as he walked up to him.

“You okay?” Angel asked as he noticed that the boy seemed anxious.

“Yeah, we’ve seemed to have lost Ampata.” He said, biting his lip nervously.

“Buffy’s exchange student?” Angel asked.

“Yeah, she was dancing with this kid Jonathan, but now we can’t find them, and with the bodyguard attacking twice now.” He shrugged.

“Bodyguard?” Angel scowled at him.

“Right, I think I forgot to mention that.” Xander grimaced.

“Yeah, I guess you did.” Angel growled, “We’ll talk about it later. First let’s find this friend of yours.”

“Angel…”

“Later.” Angel snapped as he turned and walked further into the club.

 

****

 

“I should have guessed.” Buffy grumbled, arms crossed as she glared out of the car window, “She wanted us to hide and then destroy the plate.”

“Yes, your right.” Giles agreed before he groaned and snapped, “Of course, I am such an idiot.”

“What?” 

“Well if the seal was used to contain the mummy, then reassembling it should trap her again.” He explained, “I’ll go to the museum and piece together the seal.” He stopped the car and turned to her as he said, “You go to the dance and stop Ampata from feeding on anyone.” He waited as Buffy climbed out of the car and called, “Be careful.”

She leaned back into the car and smiled as she said, “Don’t worry; I have the element of surprise. She doesn’t know I’m the slayer.”

 

****

 

“I can’t see Willow, can you?” Xander asked Angel as they made their way through the crowded club.

“No, but Buffy has just arrived and she doesn’t look to happy.” He said as he nodded towards the entrance of the club.

“When does she ever.” Xander mumbled as he followed Angel over to her.

“Where is Ampata?” She asked as soon as she saw them.

“That’s who we were looking for too. Why?” Xander asked.

“She’s the mummy.” She said.

“Willow.” Xander said worried, at Buffy’s confused look he explained, “She went to the bathroom to look for Ampata, we haven’t seen her since.” As she turned to go to the bathroom he grabbed her arm and stopped her and said, “Cordy already checked the bathroom for us. They’re not there.”

“Then where are they?” She growled.

“Jonathan!” Xander shouted as he spotted the boy at the bar and ran over to him, Angel and Buffy following him.

“Hey, where is Ampata?” Xander asked as soon as he reached him.

“What?” Jonathan asked.

“Ampata. Where did she go after you two danced?” Xander asked.

“I…I don’t know…she was…she acted a little weird… she tried to…after we danced she looked scared or something and she ran away.” Jonathan explained.

“Do you know where she ran to?” 

“Behind the stage but I don’t think she’ll be there anymore. I told Willow where she went and she went to check on her.” He said and frowned as he watched the three ran to the backstage area.

“Willow!” Xander shouted as he rushed over to where she was laying. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah!” she said as she leaned into Xander as he helped her sit up, “That…that was some kiss.” She whispered.

“Where’s Ampata?” Buffy asked.

“She said something about the seal.”

“She’s gone to the museum to try and stop Giles from piecing back the seal.” Buffy said.

“What’s going on?” Willow asked.

“We’ll fill you in on the way.” Xander said as he and Angel helped her up.

****

 

The museum was empty and dark as Giles mumbled to himself as he glued the seal back together. Suddenly Ampata ripped the seal away from him and threw it across the room smashing it again. She grabbed Giles by the throat and tried to kiss him.

“Well I’ll say this for you Incan mummies.” Ampata turned to see Buffy, Xander and another man standing behind her, “You don’t kiss and tell.”

“It looks like you’ve been keeping secrets from me.” Ampata said as she tossed Giles aside, “It seems all of you have been keeping secrets.” She said as she saw Willow drop down beside Giles.

“Well the same could be said of you.” Buffy smirked.

Xander rolled his eyes at Buffy’s childish quips as he waved his hands at Ampata and froze her. They watched as her body slowly began to wither and crumbled to dust.

“Well, that was rather anti-climactic.” Giles said as Willow helped him up.

“I wasn’t 100% sure if she would freeze.” Xander shrugged, “But I took the chance anyway.”

“Yes, well…I think now would be a good a time as any to leave.” Giles said as he turned and began to walk away. The others following him.

 

**** **** ****

 

“Are you okay?” Xander asked as they walked to their first class.

“Yeah I’m fine. Just…” she shrugged, “Present company excluded I have the worst taste in boys or girls.”

“She wasn’t evil Wills.” Xander tried, “She was…she wanted her life back and…”

“I know.” She interrupted, as she smiled sadly at him before smirking at him and asked, “So, how much trouble are you in with Angel?”

“Well when we got home he gave me this really disappointed look and said that we would talk when I got home from school today but I got a feeling I’ll be doing a lot of running during our next training.” He laughed before he turned his own smirk at her and teased, “But the question is, are we gonna talk about that kiss?”

“I…it just…I ran into Jonathan and he told me where she went…and when I went to check on her she just grabbed me and kissed me…next thing I know you’re waking me up…” she said, blushing.

“Did you enjoy it” he teased.

“Shut up.” She growled as she hit him playfully.

 

****


	5. Reptile Boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I know it's been a while, almost a year, but I had some real life issues come up and then my computer crashed and I lost my usb stick, meaning i have spent the last few months re-writing the last couple of episodes.
> 
> Anyway I have the new episode and I hope you enjoy.

“You dreamed about Angel again?” Willow asked as she and Xander made their way to their lockers.

“Yep, third night in a row.” He groaned.

“Oh, wow,” Willow smirked as she asked, “Was it one of those vivid dreams where everything feels real.”

“It had surround sound.” He moaned.

“So do you think this means you’re ready for…you know?”

“I don’t …I’m not sure.” He shrugged.

“Not sure about what?” Buffy asked as she came up behind them.

“Nothing,” Xander shrugged before he asked, “Shouldn’t you be with Giles in the library.”

“Yeah, I was supposed to be there ten minutes ago,” She shrugged, “But he shouldn’t be too mad, there hasn’t been much vampy activity lately.”

Willow and Xander smirked at each other as she turned and headed to the library.

“Hey, so I was talking to Angel and if you still wanna see the Book, we were thinking you could come over this weekend,” Xander said as they began to walk to their first class.

“Really…I mean, yes, of course, I still wanna see it,” She said, excitedly. “I mean if Angel really is okay with me coming around.”

“He is. He doesn’t like people in his apartment. It’s his safe place…his sanctuary,” He tried to explain. “And he’s strangely more protective of the Book than I am.”

“Of course he is. He wants to protect you. Protecting the Book means protecting you,” Willow said.

“I guess I can understand that,” He said before he smirked and asked, “So since I’m doing you a favour how about you return the favour?”

“What?” She asked warily.

“Let me copy your history homework.”

“No, But I’ll help you out during lunch.” She laughed as they walked into their first class.

 

****

 

“What a long day.” Xander sighed as he and Willow exited the school. It was the end of their school day and the quad was packed with students rushing to get home.

“Yeah and you skipped three classes.” Willow laughed as they cut across the grass to meet Buffy, who was sitting on the rails at the stairs.

“And of course, they flew by.” He joked as they joined Buffy he asked, “Aren’t you supposed to be in the library?”

“I’m dawdling.” She shrugged.

They talked amongst themselves when Cordelia rushed by them, knocking into Willow as she ran down the stairs to a waiting black BMW.

“You okay?” Xander asked.

“Yeah, jeez,” She said as glared after Cordelia before she shrugged and turned back to the other two and asked, “So, tonight, Channel 59…” she was cut off as Cordelia ran back up the stairs and grabbed Buffy’s arm, tugged her off the railing as she said,

“Come on, Richard and his fraternity brother want to meet you.”

“I don’t wanna meet any fraternity boys,” Buffy said as she pulled her arm out of Cordelia’s grip.

“And if there was a god, he would keep it that way.” Cordelia snapped as she grabbed Buffy’s arm again and pulled her down the stairs to where the two frat brothers waited.

“Should we have stopped her?” Willow asked as she watched in concern.

“She’s the Slayer.” He shrugged, “If she really didn’t want to go with Cordy she could have stopped her.”

“I suppose.” Willow agreed, she turned back to him and asked, “So, tonight?”

“I can’t, sorry,” Xander said, with a slight blush he added, “Angel and I are gonna go to the movies.”

“Oh, a date.” Willow teased.

“Yeah,” he nodded shyly, “Angel and I were talking and we realised that we’ve never really gone out on a real date. So, he’s taking me to the movies.”

“That’s great.” She smiled at him, “I suppose Buffy and I could patrol and …”

“Buffy!”

They turned to where Giles stood. They watched as he pointed to his watch before he turned and walked back to the library, Buffy said something to the older boy before she ran up the stairs and grabbed her bag, saying a quick goodbye to Willow and Xander she ran after Giles.

“Of course, that’s if Giles ever lets her out of the library.” She joked.

 

****

 

Angel sighed, Xander was gonna kill him. He was late due to unscheduled slayage of a group of vampires. He spotted Buffy and decided he should warn her about the potential vampires roaming the cemetery. He walked over as she had bent down to pick something up.

He frowned and said, “There’s blood on it.”

“Ah!” Buffy startled as turned quickly she gasped, “You ah… you scared me.”

“Sorry.”

“No, I was…I was just thin…” she paused before she frowned at him and asked, “Blood?”

“I can smell it,” He said as he nodded at the bracelet she was holding.

“Oh,” She said as she looked down at the bracelet, “It’s pretty thin, probably belonged to a girl.”

“Probably.” He agreed before he remembered what he came over for he said, “Listen I ra…”

“I was…I was thinking about you.” She interrupted him with a small smile, “I was thinking if you maybe wanted to go and get coffee?”

“Coffee?” He asked, frowning.

“Or something?” She asked hopefully.

“Buffy!” He sighed, annoyed.

“It’s just coffee.” She defended.

“But you don’t want it to be just coffee.” He snapped back at her.

“No…I do…I just …I mean we could meet up and just…”

“No, Buffy!”

“But why?” she whined, “Why can’t we just meet up for a coffee?”

“You know why.” He snapped, “I’m dating Xander.”

“I’m not asking you for a date,” She huffed, “Just for a coffee…who’s it going to hurt.”

“Nobody.” He said, quickly squashing the triumphant look on her face he added, “Cause there will be no coffee or date. I am with Xander; I am in love with Xander…”

“But…”

“But nothing!” he growled as he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him as he growled, “You have to stop this. It’s never going to happen and if you do anything to hurt Xander, and I mean anything, I will make you pay, do you understand.”

“Yes.” She snapped as she pulled away from him. She glared at him as he stepped around her and walked away from her, “I think you’re lying. I know you still want me.”

Angel ignored her and continued to walk. Xander was going to be mad now that his little detour had made him even later.

 

****

 

“Come on Angel.” Xander huffed as he paced the park, where he and Angel had agreed to meet. He heard some twigs snap, he paused and looked around. Not seeing anything he shrugged and began to pace again, but the sound of more twigs snapping made him pause and tense.

“Angel if this is your idea of a joke, it’s not funny,” He said, “Or a really bad training idea,” He muttered as he looked around again.

He jumped as a group of vampires stepped out of the trees.

“Oh, great,” He muttered as he threw his hands out and flung three of the vampires back into the tree line. He pulled out his stake just as the other two jumped him.

He had just dusted one of the vampires when he was jumped from behind by one of the vampires he had threw into the trees, he grabbed the vampire by the arm and flipped him off his back onto the ground driving the stake into his heart.

He stood up and turned, plunging the stake into the oncoming vampire before he turned and began to fight the next vampire, but he didn’t see the vampire behind him as he was tackled to the ground, he was just able to get a hand up to stop him from biting him when the vampire was suddenly ripped away from him.

He sat up and watched as Angel fought and quickly dusted the last two vampires before he turned to Xander and asked, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” He nodded as he looked at his arm.

“Did one of them bite you?” Angel asked as he saw that his arm was bleeding.

“No, I think there’s some broken glass on the ground,” He mumbled as he inspected the cut.

“Where you paying attention to your surroundings?” Angel asked as he did his own checking of the injury.

“Yes,” He said as he struggled to sit up.

“Did you use your powers? Were you carrying a stake?”

“Yes, and I’m sorry I didn’t see the glass but it was 5 against one, I think even the Slayer would have trouble with that,” he snapped as he pulled his arm away from Angel gasping at the sudden pain.

“Sorry,” Angel said as he took his arm again and said, “The cuts not deep but it might need a few stitches,” he stood up and pulled Xander up as he added, “Come on, let’s get you to the hospital.”

“No, no we…we don’t need to go the hospital. It’s really not that bad.” Xander said. He didn’t want to go to the hospital in case he ran into his mother, who would no doubt be working again.

“Xander…”

“Please, I really don’t like hospitals.” Xander pleaded.

“Okay, but let’s go back to the apartment and bandage you up,” Angel said before he insisted, “But if I think it’s getting infected then…”

“Okay.” Xander agreed before he added silently, “So much for our date.”

“It’s okay, we can try again later.” Angel smiled at him as he led him out of the park and home.

 

*** **** ***

 

“Buffy!” Cordelia called out as she stood in the classroom doorway, stopping Buffy from leaving the room and added, “Did you lose weight, did you…Alright, I respect you too much to be that dishonest, I mean the hairs a little…” she grimaced, before she took a deep breath and said, “Okay, so the Zeta Kappa’s are having a party and I need you to go…if you don’t go I can’t go and I’m taking about Richard Anderson…”

“I’ll go.” Buffy interrupted him.

“You will?” Cordelia asked surprised, “Well great …that…great…it’ll be like we’re sisters.” She smiled at Buffy still surprised that she had agreed and turned and walked out of the classroom before Buffy could change her mind.

Buffy watched her go, surprised herself that she had agreed to go. She hadn’t been listening to Cordelia; she had been thinking about last night and her run in with Angel. She just didn’t understand why they couldn’t be together, why he didn’t want to be with her? What was so wrong with just going out for coffee?

She was hurt, angry and jealous, knowing that he had been on his way to meet Xander for their date. She wondered if seeing her with another guy would make Angel jealous, so she had agreed to go to the party before she really knew what she was doing.

Sighing she gathered up her bag and headed off to find Willow.

 

****

 

“Hi,” Willow said as she walked into the school lounge and sat down beside Xander on the couch, “What happened?” she asked when she saw his bandaged arm.

“Hey,” He smiled reassuring her, “It’s just a scratch. Angel’s just being cautious because …well he’s Angel.”

“Well, that’s good. He’s taking care of you,” She nodded, “Like he should be.”

She smiled as she saw Buffy and stood up as Buffy reached them. Seeing the look of shock on her friend’s face, she asked, “Are you okay?”

“I think…I think I did something bad.” Buffy answered.

“What did you do?” Willow asked concerned.

“I maybe…kinda…said I’d go to the fraternity party.” She stammered.

“What made you change your mind?” Willow asked confused.

Buffy’s eyes flicked to Xander’s before looking back to Willow as she shrugged and said, “Stuff.”

“Are you going with one of the frat boys? Like on a date?” Willow asked excitedly.

“No, not …” she bit her lip as she said nervously, “I’m going with Cordelia.” With that, she turned and made her way down the stairs and out of the lounge.

“Cordelia!” Willow said shocked, she turned to Xander and asked, “Did I sound jealous cause I’m really ….” She turned back and began to follow Buffy as she cried, “Cordelia!”

Xander rolled his eyes, laughing a little as he stood up and followed the girls as they began to make their way to the library.

“What…I mean …why Cordelia?” Willow asked, “I mean what changed your mind?”

“I don’t know.” Buffy shrugged as she added, “Talking to Tom yesterday. He was nice and he made me laugh. I haven’t…and after I ran into…” she trailed off as her eyes darted to Xander before she continued, “I realised that I haven’t been on a real date since… since Bren.”

“Oh.” Willow said whatever else she was going to say was cut off as they walked into the library and found Giles play sword fighting with himself.

Embarrassed Giles cleared his throat and said, “I didn’t see you three creeping about,” he casually tossed the sword into the cage and as he straightened his shirt and waistcoat he asked, “So, how did it go last night?”

“Found this,” Buffy said as she handed him the broken bracelet.

“E-N-T.” He read out the inscription on it.

“I’ve seen something like that before.” Willow offered.

“I think it’s broken in two and there’s blood on it.” Buffy said.

“I don’t see any.” Giles frowned down at the bracelet.

“Angel could smell it.” Buffy informed them with a small smirking glance at Xander.

“Angel?” Willow asked.

“He ran into her as he was cutting through the graveyard to meet me for our date.” Xander shrugged, ignoring Buffy glaring at him.

Finally noticing Xander’s bandaged arm, Giles asked, “What happened?”

“Had a run in with some vampires.” Xander shrugged, “It’s okay, just a scratch.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, Angel took me home and bandaged me up, all good,” Xander reassured before he asked, “So, what’s the plan?”

“Well if you and Buffy could patrol tonight and Willow could…”

“Ah, actually I can’t patrol tonight.” Buffy interrupted.

“I’m sorry?” Giles asked.

“I have…a mountain of homework and…and my mom she’s…she not feeling too good and…and to be honest I’m…I’m not feeling all…all that great either…”

“Well if you’re not feeling well…”

“I can do an early pass and …”

“Angel and I can finish the patrol.” Xander finished for her.

“Yes, good.” Giles nodded, “Willow can help me after class and we can research the bracelet.”

Willow nodded, but she couldn’t stop staring at Buffy.

“We should get to class.” Xander said quickly and began steering Willow out of the library, Buffy following.

They walked in silence for a few minutes before Buffy huffed, “Well come on. Say it.”

“You lied to Giles,” Willow said, shocked.

“I didn’t lie…I just …didn’t tell him…everything…” she defended.

“Like how your mother isn’t sick and how you really going to a frat party where they will be drinks and boys and…”

“Look I am busy saving the world seven days a week. I want to have some fun every once and a while.” Buffy snapped at her, she turned to Xander and asked surprised, “Why did you cover for me?”

“Cause I understand what it’s like to be training and working 24/7.” He shrugged, “Taking one day off isn’t gonna kill anyone. Besides we’ll know where you’ll be if we need you.”

“Thanks,” She said, giving him a reluctant smile.

 

****

 

“Hey, how’s the arm,” Angel asked as Xander came into the apartment.

“It’s okay,” Xander said as he walked over to the couch and curled up beside him, “What are you reading?” Angel held up the book for him to see. He squinted at the title and asked, “Is that even an actual language?”

“It’s in original Arabic.” Angel snorted.

“Oh,” He said as he curled deeper into Angel’s arms, “Buffy isn’t feeling well, Giles asked if we could pick up her patrol and then help with some research.”

“Research?”

“Yeah, he wants us to research the bracelet that Buffy found last night.”

“The blood?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, then you should get a start on your homework.”

“Oh come on, I just got home from school,” Xander complained.

“Yeah, well if we’re picking up an extra patrol you need to get your homework done now.” Angel insisted.

“Fine.” Xander huffed as he stood up and muttered, “See if I do Buffy any more favours.” As he picked up his bag and started his homework.

 

****

 

Buffy braced herself as the car came to a sudden screeching stop. Despite everything she saw and did as the Slayer, Cordelia’s driving might be the scariest thing she had ever witnessed.

“Are you ready?” Cordelia asked.

“Ah, I don’t know, maybe this was a bad idea,” Buffy said as she stared at the frat house nervously.

“It’s gonna be great,” Cordelia said as she ignored Buffy and climbed out of the car, “Come on.”

Buffy sighed as she climbed out of the car and followed Cordelia up to the frat house.

“You know what’s so cool about college?” Cordelia asked as she scanned the room, “All the rich people.” Smiled and waved as she spotted Richard across the room.

“Welcome ladies,” He said as soon as he walked over to them and handed them some drinks.

“Thank you.” Cordelia smiled up at him.

“Is there alcohol in this?” Buffy asked.

“Just a smidge.” Richard shrugged.

“Come on, Buffy, it’s just a smidge.” Cordelia scoffed, trying to appear cool.

Buffy shook her head and put the cup down as she said, “I’ll just…”

“It’s okay, not everyone is into grown-up stuff.” Richard smirked; he turned to Cordelia and asked, “Have you seen our multimedia room?”

“You mean the room with the Cherry walnut panelling.” Cordelia shook her head, “No, wanna show me?” She asked as she took his arm and started to lead him away.

“What about?” He asked with a nodded to Buffy.

“She’s happiest by herself,” Cordelia said as they walked away.

Buffy stood there bored and lonely, she picked up her drink and began to play with the straw as she watched people dancing. Realising that she was bored, she put the drink down and turned to walk out the door, only to walk into Tom.

He smiled at her and asked, “Can I have this dance?”

Buffy smiled as she took his offered hand and let him lead her out onto the dance floor and pull her into his arms.

“I’m glad you came.” He said as they began to dance, when she looked away he added, “But you’re not.” When she didn’t say anything, he asked, “Are you seeing anyone?”

“No.” she scowled.

“But there is someone you want to be seeing?” He asked when she didn’t respond he asked, “So why aren’t you?”

“Complications. He’s …he’s seeing someone else.”

“Well, I guess it’s his loss. So, you should relax and have some fun with me.” He smiled at her.

“I’m having fun.” She insisted.

“Good.” He smiled as he pulled her closer and they continued to dance.

They danced in silence until Tom pulled back and said, “I’m gonna get a drink…you want one?”

She nodded as she added, “I’m just…I’m gonna take a step outside, get some air.”

Tom nodded and turned to walk into the kitchen as she made her way out the front door, stepping out onto the porch. She rubbed her arms in the chilly air. She walked out to the steps and stepped on some glass. She bent down and picked it up and studied it, frowning she looked up and saw a broken window on the balcony had been boarded up.

“You okay?” Tom asked as he stepped out onto the patio.

“Yeah.” She smiled at him, “Just thinking.”

“About what?”

“Having fun,” She said as she took the drink off him and gulped it down.

 

****

 

Having finished their patrol, Xander and Angel walked into the library to find Giles standing at the counter with Willow behind at the small desk at the computer.

“Bent…sent…lent…” Giles suggested as Willow typed them into the computer. Giles turned to them and asked, “How was patrol?”

“A few vampires but other than that it was quiet.” Xander shrugged.

“Good, good,” Giles said the turned back to Willow.

“How are you guys doing?” Xander asked as he walked behind the counter to stand behind Willow, Angel followed to stand next to Giles.

“Slow.” She groaned, “Went…Kent…Kent! That’s it.”

“Her boyfriend name is Kent?” Giles asked.

“No, Kent Preparatory School. Just outside of town. They wear these bracelets.” Willow said excitedly as she began to type into the computer.

“What are you doing?” Xander asked.

“Pulling up their school paper to see if there is anything about …”

“About a missing girl.” Xander finished for her as they stared at the screen, which showed an article about a missing girl named Callie.

 

****

 

Buffy stumbled her way over to the stairs, knocking in to people on her way past, “Tom?” She called out as she slowly made her way up the stairs looking for the older boy.

She stumbled into an empty bedroom and made her way over to the bed.

“Okay,” She mumbled as she crawled onto the bed, “Nice… bed… just… until… the room stops spinning…”

She collapsed onto the bed face down and was soon unconcious.

Richard pushed open the door and walked over to the bed. He rolled Buffy onto her back and smiled as he brushed her hair behind her ear.

“Step away from her,” Tom said from where he stood at the door.

“I wasn’t doing anything.” Richard defended.

“They’re here for the one we serve.” Tom snapped, “Not you.”

“In his name,” Richard said, ashamed, as helped Tom carry Cordelia over to the bed and laid her down beside Buffy.

 

 

****

 

“Callie Megan Anderson, missing for over a week,” Giles read from the printout, “No one knows what happened to her.”

“And this being Sunnydale and all I think we can rule out anything good.” Willow offered.

“We should call Buffy,” Giles said.

“No!” Willow shouted at the same time as Xander asked, “Why?”

“Why not?” Giles asked as he stared at the two confused.

“Well, Buffy …and …and her mom are…”

“Not well,” Xander took over from a stammering Willow, “So, there’s no point in calling her until we know more. Don’t want to stress her out unnecessarily.”

“Yes, I suppose that makes sense,” Giles said.

Xander and Willow shared a brief look of relief before Willow went back to the computer and Xander avoided looking at Angel, who was staring at him in confusion.

“When you said something more, do you mean like more girls going missing, Brittany Oswald, junior at St. Michaels, disappeared a year ago. Kelly Percell disappeared …”

“Two years ago.” Giles finished for her.

“To the day,” Willow confirmed.

“An anniversary or some form of ritual event that is significant to the killer,” Giles said.

“Killer! Now there’s a killer.” Willow said, worried.

“Well, this being Sunnydale and all,” Xander muttered.

“We need to find out where Buffy found that bracelet.” Giles said as he went to pick up the phone, he frowned at Xander when he put his hand over Giles stopping him.

“Or we could just ask Angel,” Xander said as he nodded to Angel, “He was there when she found it.”

“Of course.” Giles agrees as he turned to Angel beside him.

Angel stared at Xander, wondering at the boy’s strange behaviour before he turned to Giles and answered, “It was at the cemetery near the south wall.”

“South wall?” Giles asked he frowned at Willow when he noticed that Willow kept shifting her gaze from Angel and the window and asked, “What are you doing?”

“Oh…sorry …I just …you have no reflection…I just…. how do you shave?” She blushed at the looks that she received from the three men and quickly said, “South wall, that’s near the college and …”

“The Fraternity.” Xander finished with a grimace.

“You think they could be taking the girls?” Angel asked them.

Willow nodded nervously.

“Then we should go and check it out,” Xander said.

“What about Buffy?” Giles asked in concern.

“I think we’ll be fine on our own,” Xander said, “Buffy is sick and we don’t want to make her worse by getting her out of bed, especially if we’re wrong.”

“I suppose,” Giles said, doubtfully.

“Giles we’ll be fine.” Xander insisted.

“Okay, then let’s go,” Giles said.

As they made their way out to Giles car, Xander and Willow trailed behind the other two and Willow asked, “Why aren’t we telling them about Buffy?”

“Do you want to deal with a disappointed Giles and a possibly very angry Angel?” He muttered back, “I may have not told Angel the whole truth either, so hopefully we can find Buffy and make sure the other two don’t see her and Giles and Angel won’t be any the wiser.” He shrugged before he added, “Or we can pray that she changed her mind and decided to stay home.”

“Do you really believe that we could do that?” Willow asked doubtfully.

“Yes,” Xander said, not at all convincingly.

 

****

 

Buffy groaned as she slowly woke up. She frowned as she looked around the basement. She was chained up with Cordelia and another girl. She watched as Richard took a sword and walked up behind a kneeling Tom.

“Buffy, where are we?” Cordelia asked, “What’s happening? What did they do to us?”

“They drugged us.”

“What…what are they gonna do to us?” Cordelia asked again.

“I don’t…I don’t know.”

They watched as Richard finished carving symbols onto Tom’s back. Tom stood up and turned to look at the girls.

“He’s the one to look out for.” The girl, Callie, said.

“She’s last,” Tom said as he pointed the sword at Buffy.

“For what?” Buffy asked.

Tom ignored her as he walked towards the well and picked up a bag. He pulled out three stones and placed them on the well.

“Three stones…” Buffy said

“Three of us.” Cordelia finished. “Buffy…”

“Stay calm, okay. We’re gonna get out of this.”

Tom poured water over the stones as he quietly chanted.

“Why did I ever let you talk me into coming here?” Cordelia cried.

Buffy glared at her in disbelief before she rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Tom, who she found was staring back at her.

“It’s time,” He said as he turned and walked to the top of the stairs.

He stood and held out the sword as he called out, “Machida.”

He started down the stairs as the other boys chanted, “In his name.”

“We who serve you, we that receive all that you bestow, call upon you in this holy hour.” Tom chants.

“In this holy hour.” The brothers chant.

Tom reached the bottom of the stairs and walked towards Richard, “We have no wealth, no possessions, except that which you give us.”

“Except that which you give us.”

Tom places the sword in Richard outstretched arms. Tom stepped over to the well where the three stones sat and picked them up throwing them into the well one at a time.

“What’s down there?” Cordelia asked. “Is he going to throw us down there too?”

“I don’t think so,” Buffy answered as she began to pull at her chains, “I think it comes to us.”

“Oh my God.” Cordelia screamed as Machida, a half man, half snake, green and scaly came rising out of the well. He growled and looked at the girls.

 

****

 

Angel and Xander peered through the window as they studied the frat house. The party had finished and they could see a few frat brothers wearing brown robes.

Angel tapped on Xander's shoulder and nodded to the trees where Giles and Willow were waiting for them. Xander nodded and silently followed behind him. He stopped and frowned when he spotted Cordelia’s car.

“Dammit,” He muttered.

Angel stopped and turned to look at him, “What?”

“That’s Cordy’s car,” He said as he waved at the red Corvette with the ‘Queen C’ license plates.

“She’s here,” Angel said as he turned back and made his way to Giles and Willow.

“Of course she is.” Xander mumbled as he followed behind, he paused as he spotted a robe, he picked it up as he called out quietly to Angel, "Hey, do you think we can use this?”

Angel turned and back to him and smiled when he saw the robe in Xander’s hand and said, “Yeah, I think we can think of something.”

They soon joined Willow and Giles and quickly explained what they found.

“We saw Cordy’s car, she might still be here,” Xander said, looking at Willow.

“Oh god, Buffy!” She gasped.

“Buffy?” Giles asked confused.

“Is in there,” Willow said, “With Cordelia. She went to the party with Cordelia.”

“She lied to me,” Giles said shocked before he turned to Xander and Willow and added with a look of pure disappointment. “You all lied to me.”

“Well…” Willow said as she shifted nervously

“And me,” Angel said eyes on Xander, “You lied to me.”

“Yes, okay. We lied, but seriously what did you expect?” Xander snapped, “You guys have us training 24/7 and if it’s not training then its homework or patrolling or research. And you,” he said as he turned to glare at Angel, “You turned what was supposed to be a date into a training exercise…and okay those vampires were already attacking when you turned up but instead of just checking to see if your boyfriend was okay, you turned it into a chance to critique my fighting technique and all I wanted was to go out for a freaking coffee with my boyfriend not my guardian.” He paused as he took a deep calming breath and added, “I get that we’re the Chosen ones and that you want to protect us and have us ready for our destinies, but … but you have to remember that we are teenagers too and that we have lives and…and…I don’t feel any better after saying all that and we’ve still got to go and save Buffy and Cordelia, so …”

The three stared at him in shocked silence before Willow cleared her throat and asked, “How long have you been holding that in?”

Xander just huffed and with a blush he pushed past them and walked towards the house.

 

****

 

Cordelia screamed as Machida came towards her.

“Hey, reptile boy!” Buffy shouted, ignoring Tom as he shouted at her to shut up, she added, “You don’t want her, look at her, you’d be hungry again in half an hour.”

“I told you to shut up,” Tom said as he stormed over to her and backhanded her across the face.

 

****

 

Angel, dressed in the robe, knocked on the door of the frat house. When it opened, he said, “Hey, I got locked out taking out the trash, let me in.”

“Hurry up and come in.” The guy stepped back and opened the door to let Angel in. As Angel stepped through the door, he scanned the room and counted five other boys cleaning up the mess from the party. As Angel jumped the boy in front of him Xander ran in and quickly froze the other four, Willow and Giles came in and began to knock out the frozen boys.

Three guys came down the stairs and Xander and Angel turned and fought them as Giles knocked out the last frozen guy and Willow ran down to the basement.

Xander and Angel had just knocked out the last guy when Willow ran back up the stairs and shouted, “Some guy is attacking Buffy with a sword. Also, there’s a really, really big snake thing…”

She turned and ran back down the stairs, the others following. They found Buffy fighting Tom and Machida dragging a screaming Cordelia to the well.

The others immediately went into action, fighting the remaining brothers as Xander tried to freeze the giant snake. Quickly realizing that his powers weren’t working, he gently tossed Cordelia away from the threat. He noticed that Tom had dropped the sword during the attack. Concentrating, he used his powers to float the weapon to him and quickly slashed the snake in half and winced as it shrieked in pain and dropped to the ground, dead

Buffy used Tom’s distraction and punched him, knocking him out. She dropped him on the ground. She glanced quickly around the room, making sure everything was taken care of before she walked over to Callie and freed her from her chains.

Angel bent down and picked Tom up off the floor and ignored his groans of pain as he dragged him over to the stairs. Cordelia stepped in front of them and grabbed Tom’s robe and growled into his face, “You…you are going to jail for 15 thousand years,” with that she pushed away from him and stormed up the stairs. Angel snickered as he dragged Tom upstairs after her.

Giles cleared his throat and Buffy looked up and blushed sheepishly and she said, “I told one lie. I had one drink.”

“Yes, and were very nearly eaten by a giant snake,” Giles added.

“I’m sorry,” She mumbled.

“And so am I,” Giles said, Buffy’s head snapped up and stared at Giles in shock. He nodded to Xander, who stood at the bottom of the stairs with Willow, and said, “I may have had it pointed out to me that I may be working you too hard…I only do it because I want to protect you, I want you to be prepared for what you have to face…but I promise from now on I will try to remember that you need a break…to live your life too.”

She smiled at him and said “Thank you,” before she turned and began to make her way up the stairs, the others following her.

 

****

 

Xander followed Angel into his apartment and watched as he took off his jacket before he walked into the kitchen.

Xander sighed as he took off his own jacket and kicked off his shoes before he slumped down onto the couch. Angel hadn’t said a word to him since they had left the frat house and he was beginning to worry.

He looked up as Angel came out of the kitchen with the first aid kit and a glass of water, which he silently handed over to Xander.

“Thanks,” Xander said as he took a sip and watched as Angel sat down beside him and opened the kit. Angel quietly began to clean the cut on Xander’s forehead that he hadn’t realised was there, focused on cleaning the cut he said, “I’m sorry.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry,” Angel repeated, he looked into Xander's eyes and said, “I didn’t realise that I was that focused on our training but you…you understand why I am, right?”

“Yeah, I understand.” He nodded as he smiled softly at him.

“It’s not just that I want you prepared, its …I don’t know what I would do if something were to happen to you…we still don’t know anything about Belthazor or the Triad and it…it terrifies me that I might not be able to protect you from them.”

“I know…I’m scared of that too,” He said as he added, “I love you and I…”

Angel smiled as he put the anti-sceptic wipe down on the table and pulled Xander into his lap as ran his hand through Xander’s hair and gently tugged him into a kiss. He pulled back and mumbled against his lips, “I love you too.” Before he pulled him into a deeper kiss.

Xander pulled back and rested his forehead against Angel as he panted a little, he asked, “Does that mean I’m forgiven for lying to you.”

“No,” Angel smirked as he kissed him again before he pulled back and added, “But I’m sure you can make it up to me.”

Xander laughed as Angel pulled him into another kiss.


	6. Halloween

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a while since I last posted. 
> 
> I have not given up, I had to write a lot of this again after my computer crashed and lost my usb stick.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

Episode Six: Halloween

 

“Why do we come here?” Cordelia huffed as she sat down beside Angel and Xander at their table at the Bronze.

“Well, we came here on a date.” Xander said as he waved a hand between him and Angel.

“It’s… it’s just so boring…you know.” Cordelia said, ignoring Xander.

“Cordy,” Xander broke in and when he was certain that he had her full attention he said, “Angel and I are on a date.”

“Oh,” she drooped in disappointment and looking uncomfortable she added, “I know…I just…I’m supposed to meet Devon…but he flacked again and…”

“And you can sit with us until you’re ready to leave without it looking like you got stood up.” Angel offered.

“Thanks.” She said, with a mock glare she said, “Although I wouldn’t have put it that way, but, thank you.”

The three talked amongst themselves, Cordelia making it seem as if she was flirting with Angel while ignoring Xander. Soon she had deemed that enough time passed for her to leave. As she stood to leave she spotted Buffy across the room at the entrance of the club glaring at their table.

“I’ll see you later.” She smiled at Angel, but both men knew she was talking to both of them. She made her way through the crowd and stopped beside Buffy and asked, “You know there’s no getting between them, right?”, when she received no response she continued, “Even I can tell that there is no coming between them.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Buffy snapped.

“I know you’re delusional if you really think you can get Angel to leave Xander for you.” Cordelia huffed.

“He wanted me once.” She growled, “I can make him want me again.”

“You can’t…you’re only going to get yourself hurt.” Cordelia shrugged and said, “But it’s your life.”

“That right. It’s my life. So, stay out of it.” She snapped as she took one last look at Angel before she turned and stormed out of the club, ignoring Cordelia calling out to her.

 

**** **** ****

 

“Snyder must be in charge of the volunteer safety program for Halloween this year.” Willow said as the trio walked to their lockers.

“What’s the deal?” Buffy asked.

“A bunch of little kids need people to take them trick or treating. Sign up and get your own sugar-hyped little runts for the night.” Xander explained.

“Yikes, I’ll stick with vampires.” Buffy said, but as she walked past Snyder grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him.

“Ms Summers just the juvenile delinquent I was looking for.”

“What!” She yelped.

“Halloween must be a big night for you. Tossing eggs, keying cars.” Snyder said as he led her to the volunteer table, “Not this year. Here.” He thrust the clipboard at her.

“I would love to but…”

“The program starts at four.” Snyder said, ignoring her, “They need to be back at the school at six.”

He glared at her until she signed the board, with a huff as she went to hand it back but, he turned to Xander and Willow and glared at them until they too had signed it.

“One more thing.” Snyder said stopping them from walking away. They turned back warily to see a smug Snyder as he said, “Costumes are mandatory.”

With that he smirked as he turned and walked away to find more student s to terrorise.

“Mandatory!” Xander cried, “But…I was gonna stay in. Halloween is supposed to be quiet so Angel and I made plans.”

“Halloween’s quiet?” Willow asked, surprised.

“Yeah, according to Giles Halloween is dead to the undead.” Buffy said.

“Those wacky vampires, they like to keep us guessing.” Willow joked as they sat down at a table. She turned to Xander and asked, “What did you have planned?”

“Nothing too exciting.” Xander shrugged, “Just staying in and enjoying the peace and quiet, being able to spend some time together without a threat hanging over us. I am trying to convince Angel to buy a TV so that we can watch some movies.”

“He doesn’t have a TV?” Willow asked as she jokingly added, “How are you surviving without a TV?”

“Shut up.” He playfully glared at her as they laughed.

“Well, we have to have the kids back at the school at six, so you still have time to spend together.” She smiled at him; she noticed that Buffy sat in stony silence, “What about you, Buffy?”

“Pretty much the same.” She shrugged, “Vegging out in front of the TV.”

“Yeah, maybe I could join you?”

“Sure.” She said, listlessly.

“Do you have any idea on costumes?” Xander asked them.

“No, but there’s a new costume store that opened on Main Street, we could take a look there?” Willow suggested, excitedly.

“That sounds good.” Xander agreed.

“Buffy?” Willow asked.

“Sure, whatever?” She shrugged.

Xander sighed tiredly as he stood up and said, “I have to meet Giles in the library, he has a book that Angel asked to borrow.” He smiled at Willow and made his way to the library.

Willow waited until she was sure that he was far enough away before she turned to Buffy and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Buffy?”

“It’s just…why do we always have to talk about Xander and Angel?” She huffed.

“We don’t always talk about them.” Willow said, “Xander is one of my best friends and I want to know what’s going on in his life, so I asked him a simple question.”

“But why doesn’t anyone think about how I feel when they talk about their…relationship?” Buffy snapped, almost spitting the word.

“We do, Xander more than anyone. He makes a conscious effort not to talk about his relationship. He only talks about it when I ask him about it.” Willow snapped back as she stood up and added, “Buffy you are my friend and I do understand that you are hurting over Angel, but I’m not going to let you upset Xander over a relationship that never happened.” With that she turned and walked away, leaving behind a stunned and angry Buffy.

 

****

 

Buffy looked around the library, searching for Giles. When she was sure he wasn’t there she quickly headed to Giles office and searched through the dusty old books piled up on Giles desk and shelves.

“Yes!” She smiled triumphantly when she found what she was looking for. She tucked it between her school books and walked out of the office.

“Ah, Buffy?” Giles greeted as he entered the library, “Something I can do for you?”

“I…I was…just making sure that …that you were right about tonight…that it was going to be quiet tonight?”

“Yes, the supernatural community thinks that Halloween is…well, for a lack of a better word, tacky.” He shrugged, then reassured her, “So, they tend to stay in on that night.”

“Good, good, that’s good.” She smiled at him, “I should…should get to class.”

“Yes, of course.” Giles smiled back, “Have a good night.”

“I will.” She smirked as she tightened her grip on her books and left the library.

 

****

 

Spike studied the video of the slayer fighting. He had his minions following the Slayer, taking videos and studying her in order to find out everything they could about her so that they could learn how to kill her.

“She’s good.” Spike said, impressed as he watched her improvise by using the fence post as a stake, “She’s resourceful, thinks on her feet.”

“Miss Edith wants her tea.” Drusilla said as she dreamily entered the room and swayed up to Spike. Pressed up against his back she asked, “Do you love me, inside and all?”

“From eyeballs to entrails, my pet.” He purred, “That’s why we’re studying the Slayer, so we can kill her and take over Sunnydale. You’ll be my Queen, my beautiful dark and strong Queen.”

“Don’t worry, love.” She smiled dreamily, “It’ll make her weak, everything is gonna change.”

“Did you have a vision, pet?” He asked as he took her hand and pulled her round to his front, he wrapped his arms around her waist, “Come on, talk to me.”

“Tomorrow.” She said as she began to sway.

“Tomorrow’s Halloween, nothing happens on Halloween.” He said as he swayed with her.

“Someone’s coming to change all that.” She answered as she danced. Spike laughed as he kissed her on the forehead and began to dance her across the room.

 

****

 

Cordelia entered the girl’s bathroom; she had just enough time to touch up her make up before her next class. She frowned when she saw Buffy sitting on the sinks as she read from an old dusty book.

“Do you ever go to class?” She asked her as she fixed her lipstick.

“I have a free period.” She murmured absently, not taking her attention from the book.

“No, you have history with me.” Cordelia scoffed as she turned to her. She frowned as she recognised the book and asked, “What are you reading?”

“Nothing.” Buffy said as she snapped the book shut and tried to hide the cover from Cordelia.

“You never listened to anything I said last night, did you?” Cordelia sighed.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Buffy snapped.

“You’re reading one of the Watcher's Diaries; I recognise that book from when we were researching that Spike guy. It’s about Angel.” Cordelia glared at her.

“So, what if I am.” She snapped back defensively, “It doesn’t mean anything.”

“It means you may be more pathetic and desperate than I thought.” Cordelia huffed before she turned and stormed out of the bathroom, leaving a pouting Buffy as she opened the book up again and stared longingly at the picture of the noble woman.

 

****

 

Angel watched Xander as he slowed down from their workout. His eyes trailed down his back and took in the way his shirt stuck to his back from the sweat showing off how toned he had become from their work outs and training. His eyes tracked a bead of sweat as it trailed down his neck; he licked his lips as he thought about following that same path with his lips. He stood up and walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge and took out two bottles of water, before he left the kitchen he took a deep breath and walked back out to the main room.

“What time will you be back tonight?” He asked as he tossed one of the bottles to Xander.

“Snyder wants the kids back by six, so I should be back here about sevenish.” He answered after he took a drink.

“Okay, I can do a quick patrol and meet you at the school.” Angel said.

“I thought Halloween was supposed to be quiet?” Xander frowned.

“It is.”

“Then why the patrol?”

Angel rolled his eyes as he put the empty water bottle on the coffee table and walked over to Xander and backed him up against the wall, he kissed him lightly before he said, “It’s supposed to be romantic. Meeting up with you and walking you home.” Before he started to trail kisses down his jaw to his neck.

“Oh,” Xander sighed as he tilted his head back to give Angel better access to his neck, before he pulled Angel back and pulled him into a deep kiss. Angel’s hands trailed down his back, lifting his t-shirt up as he traced his back. Xander pulled back a little and panted, “As…much as…I’m …I …I have to...to meet…Willow…and…”

Angel groaned as he kissed him one last time before he pulled back and rested his forehead against Xander. He took a deep breath, to regain some control, before he smiled at Xander and took a step back as he asked, “Right, have you made any decision on a costume?”

“Something easy and simple.” Xander shrugged, still a little breathless, “I should…go and take a shower.”

Angel nodded and stepped back some more, giving Xander some room to stand up from the wall and walk over to the bathroom. It took all his restraint not to follow the boy into the bathroom. He knew he needed to cool down a little, as much as he wanted Xander, and he really did want him, he knew that Xander wasn’t ready to take that next step in their relationship, and if he was honest he wasn’t sure if he was completely ready for that step yet, either. He loved Xander, loved him in a way that he had never loved anyone else, so much that it scared him sometimes, so he was happy to keep their relationship going at the pace it was going.

By the time Xander had showered and dressed he had managed to get himself under control.

He smiled at Xander and asked, “So, do you want me to meet you at the school?”

“Yeah.” Xander smiled as he blushed a little, at Angel nodded he said, “I better go or I’m gonna be late.” With that he gave Angel a quick kiss goodbye before he left.

 

****

 

Xander wandered around the store casually browsing the outfits and toys. He had already decided on what he was going to dress as, but he decided to keep it to himself as an excuse to get away from Buffy and Willow.

When he had met up with the girls he could sense that there was some tension between the two girls. At first, he thought it was the usual tension that Buffy gave off when he was around but he was quick to realise that something was going on between the two girls and quickly made his excuses and ditched them to look around the store alone.

He scanned the store and found the girls and walked over to join them. The atmosphere seemed to have cooled down between them as they talked quietly together.

“Hey, Xander what did you get?" Willow asked.

He opened his bag and took out a toy machine gun.

“That’s not a costume.” Buffy snorted.

“Well, I have some combat fatigues at home,” Xander shrugged, “What about you guys, have you made a choice yet?”

Willow held out an old traditional white ghost sheet, “It’s a time honoured classic.” She shrugged.

“What about you Buffy?” He asked, but they noticed that her attention had completely wandered. They turned to see what had captured her attention; it was an 18th century gown at the back of the store, it looked similar to the one she saw in the Watchers diaries.

“It’s …nice.” Willow said as they followed Buffy as she walked over to it, entranced. She reached out to it, but pulled her hand back at the last minute.

“Please, let me.” A man said, with a hint of British accent.

“It’s…”

“Magnificent, yes.” He said as he took it off the mannequin and held it against her, “Meet the hidden princess.”

“I’m sorry, but there’s no way that I could afford this.” She said, disappointed.

“I’m sure we can come to some arrangement.” The store owner insisted. “I’m feeling quite moved.” He smirked as he saw the elated look on her face and knew that he had her.

 

****

 

Buffy stared at her reflection, awed at what she saw. She had on the gown, a dark brunette curly wig, which was done in an elegant hair do. She smirked to herself. Angel was gonna flip when he saw her. She was gonna show everyone that it was her that Angel wanted, he just needed to be reminded of why he wanted her first.

With one last approving smirk at the mirror she turned and said, “Okay Willow, you can’t stay hidden in there forever.”

“Okay, but promise not to laugh?” She called out through the bathroom door.

“I promise.” Buffy said.

Willow cautiously opened the door before she stepped out of the bathroom, dressed as a rock chick, wearing a short black leather skirt, black boots and a burgundy long-sleeved V-neck top that showed off her mid-drift.

“Wow, you look hot.” Buffy smiled, pleased with herself.

“I…I don’t know.” Willow shrugged.

“Really, Willow the boys are gonna lose it.” Buffy said as she tried to reassure her.

“I don’t…this isn’t really me.”

“But that’s the point of Halloween, to be somebody you’re not.” Buffy tried, “I mean you dressed up in that sari for the culture dance.”

“That…that was different...and…and I wasn’t showing so much…” Willow blushed as she covered up her bare stomach.

“You want guys to notice you, right? Well this is how it’s gonna happen.” Buffy said, “Trust me.”

The sound of the doorbell cut off whatever Willow was going to say.

“That will be Xander.” Buffy said as she turned and walked out of her bedroom to let him in.

“Wow, Buffy you look amazing.” He said as he entered the house.

“I know.” She smirked at him; he had no idea that she had bought the dress with the purpose of impressing Angel and stealing him from Xander. “But wait until you see…” she trailed off disappointed as Willow walked down the stairs dressed in the ghost sheet.

“Hey, Casper.” Xander smiled at Willow, who waved back weakly. He knew that Buffy was trying to get Willow to be more outgoing, but he understood that his Willow was still too shy, but that she’ll get there in her own time, “We should head out, don’t want to be late and be on Snyder’s bad side any more than we already are.”

 

 

****

 

Cordelia stormed up to a young boy knelt down at his locker as he checked out his guitar, “Oz…Oz!” She snapped.

“Oh, hey Cordelia.” Oz said as his eyes trailed up her body, “Jeez, you’re like a big cat.”

“That’s my costume.” She snapped, “Are you guys playing tonight?”

“Yeah, at the Bronze.”

“Well, you can tell Devon that I’m not gonna be there and he should just …forget that I even exist. In fact, tell him that I didn’t even see you.” She rambled.

“So, what do you want me to tell him?” He asked, confused.

“That…that...” She took a deep breath before she added, “Nothing. You tell him nothing. I am Cordelia Chase. I don’t get stood up.” She scoffed then turned and stormed off.

“Such a lovely girl.” Oz smirked as he stood up, turned around and walked into someone covered in a white sheet, “Sorry.”

“Sorry.” The person mumbled as they stepped around him and continued.

 

****

 

Xander had lined his kids up, standing to attention as he instructed them on how to try and get more treats from the neighbourhood.

“Tears, tears are the key to getting you more candy.” He said, as he paced, “You could try the old ‘you missed me’ routine, but that doesn’t always work and can sometimes get you in to trouble, understood?” He waited until they all nodded, “Good, well okay troops, let’s head out.”

Xander turned and faced down the hall, the kids copying him, and walked out of the school to start their trick or treating.

The two hours passed a lot quicker than he had anticipated. He turned the kids back to the school telling them that it was time to head back when he suddenly felt dizzy. He jerked back like he had been punched. He bent down, leaning his hands on his knees as he panted a little before he slowly stood back up and surveyed the streets and the chaos around him. He raised, what was once a toy gun, but is now a fully functioning automatic M-16.

“Xander?” Willow shouted as she ran up to him, he spun around and pointed the gun at her.

“Hey! Wow!” She shouted as she held up her hands, “It’s me, it’s Willow!”

“I don’t know any Willow.” He said, gun still pointed at her.

“This is not the time for jokes, Xander.” She snapped at him.

“Not joking.” He said before he asked, “What the hell is going on here?”

“You really don’t know me?” She asked him.

“I really don’t.” He said as he started to walk away when she jumped in front of him and he walked right through her.

“Oh!” she said, shocked.

Xander, spooked, turned back to her and pointed the gun back at her as he asked, “What are you?”

“Xander, listen to me. I am on your side.” She said, “I swear. You dressed up as a soldier for Halloween and I dressed as a ghost and now …well somehow …something happened and now I’m a ghost and you’re a solider.”

“You expect me to believe that?” He snorted.

He raised his gun as he heard growling behind her and he pointed it at a monster. He scowled as Willow stepped in front of it and the monster ran away.

“Step out of the way.” He insisted.

“No, that’s still a little kid in there.” She said.

“Step out of the way.”

“No! No guns!” Willow snapped at him, “That’s an order.” She stared at him until he lowered his gun, then she said, “Good, now we gotta find a safe…” she trailed off as she spotted Buffy across the street and ran over to her, “Buffy! Are you okay?”

“Willow?” Xander said as he noticed that the monster from before was back and this time he had brought some friends.

“Buffy!” Willow as she watched as Buffy fainted in shock and fear.

Willow knelt down and tried to wake Buffy up as Xander raised his gun and fired. Willow turned to glare at him and snapped, “What did I say about guns.”

“Loud noise scary.” He explained.

She frowned at him before she turned her attention back to Buffy.

“Buffy, are you okay?” She asked again.

“Wh…what?” She mumbled as she slowly woke up.

“Are you hurt?” Xander asked as he and Willow helped her stand up, when she didn’t answer Willow prompted, “Buffy?”

“Buffy?” Buffy frowned at them, confused.

“Oh, this is gonna be fun.” Willow said as she rolled her eyes, before she asked, “What year is it?”

“1775, I believe.” Buffy answered, “I don’t …I don’t …who are you?”

“We’re…friends.” Willow answered.

“Friends!” She said, “I don’t…everything is strange. How did I come here?”

“Great!” Willow sighed, “Now what are we gonna do?”

“I suggest we get somewhere safe before…”

“A DEMON! A DEMON!” Buffy shouted.

“Is she insane?” Xander asked as he stared at the car Buffy was pointing and screaming at.

“She’s never seen a car before.” Willow tried to explain, “She…she’s from the past…sort of.”

“And you’re a ghost?”

“Yes…sort of.” She tried again.

“Okay. Just…I’m taking a lot on faith here,” he shrugged before he said; “We need to get inside.”

“We can go to a friend’s house.” Willow said, as she took Buffy by the arm and led them to Buffy’s house.

“All clear.” Xander said after he had checked the house and ushered the two girls in.

“Where are we?” Buffy asked.

“This is where you live,” she told Buffy, “Okay we need…”

“Who is this?” Buffy asked as she held out a photo of herself.

“That’s you; can’t you remember anything at all?” Willow asked.

“No! This…this is not me.” She snapped, “I would never …I don’t …I don’t …I don’t like this place …and …I …I don’t like you …” she pouted, “I want to go home.”

“You are home.” Willow said, she rolled her eyes as Buffy started to cry and muttered, “She couldn’t have dressed like Xena.”

“Dammit,” Xander muttered from where he stood guard at the window as he watched a brunette woman run down the street. He stalked over to the door and yanked it open and yelled, “Inside.”

Cordelia turned and spotted Xander standing just outside Buffy’s house and ran and pushed by him into the house, Xander stepped back inside and quickly shut the door.

“What …what the hell is going on?” She demanded.

“Cordelia, your name is Cordelia. You are not a cat and we …we’re friends …sort of.” Willow told her.

“Yes, I know.” Cordelia frowned at her, “And you went mental when?”

“You know us?” Willow asked, delighted.

“Of course, I do.” She scoffed at her, “What is going on? I just got attacked by Jojo the dog faced boy. Look at my costume.” She snapped as she pointed out the tears in her leopard print leotard.

Xander took off his shirt and placed it on her shoulders.

“Thanks.” She smiled at him as she slid her arms through the sleeves and asked, “So can one of you explain?”

“I don’t know.” Willow said, “Everyone has turned into their costumes. Xander and Buffy don’t remember who they are and …can you stay here? Look after them and I’ll go and see if I can find out some answers and help.”

“Yeah, okay.” Cordelia nodded.

“Surely some men will come and protect us.” Buffy said.

“What’s that deal?” Cordelia asked as she frowned at Buffy.

“It's like I said, they don’t remember who they are.” Willow explained, “They turned into their costume,” Willow said as she walked past Cordelia “Just look after them, I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Who died and made her the boss?” Cordelia muttered as she turned to see what Xander was doing, so she missed the wide-eyed stare of Buffy as Willow walked through the wall.

“We should make sure everything is locked up and secure.” Xander said as he turned to Cordelia and told her, “Check upstairs.”

“When did everybody become so bossy?” She muttered angrily as she stalked up the stairs.

“Surely there must be some safe haven for us to go to?” Buffy asked him.

“Lady said to stay put.” He shrugged his shoulders.

“You would take orders from a woman?” She scoffed.

“Listen, we don’t…whoa!” He trailed off as he spotted a photo of Buffy, Willow and himself on the unit. He picked it up and studied it as he said, “She must be right. We must have some sort of amnesia.”

“I don’t know what that is, but I’m sure that I don’t have it.” She snapped.

“Then how do you explain this?” He asked as he held out the photo to her.

“I don’t.” She said as she pushed the photo out of his hands. They jumped as Angel ran in from the kitchen.

“Good, you guys are here,” he said, “It is total chaos out there.”

Buffy and Xander turned to him in confusion and asked, “Who are you?”

“Okay, someone want to explain?” Angel asked.

“Do you live here?” Xander asked.

“No and you know that.” He frowned at Xander, before he added, “What...”

“They’ve lost their memories or something,” Cordelia explained as joined them, “Everyone has turned into their costume or at least that was Willow's explanation.”

Buffy jumped in fright as the lights went off and grabbed onto Angel.

“You secure the kitchen.” Xander told Angel. “I’ll take the upstairs.”

Angel nodded and turned to walk back into the kitchen, but since Buffy never let him go, she was pulled along behind him. He frowned when he saw that the kitchen door was open.

“I didn’t leave that open.” He said quietly as he walked over and closed the door, the basement door opened behind them and a vampire jumped out at Buffy. Angel grabbed the vampire and wrestled it to the ground.

“Get me a stake.” He growled.

“A…a wh ...what?” Buffy asked shakily.

“A stake.” He growled again as he turned to her with his vampire face. Buffy screamed and backed away before she turned and ran out of the house.

Angel sat there in shock before the vampire he held began to fight to get loose, he reached and grabbed the nearest wooden utensil and quickly raised it, ready to stake him. Only his quick reflexes stopped him as Cordelia shouted for him to stop.

“You…you can’t stake him.” She said.

“Cordy, he’s a vampire.” He stated.

“Yes, but remember that bit where I told you that they have all turned into their costumes. Xander became a real-life soldier and Buffy, in her pathetic attempt in trying to impress you, became a real-life 18th century lady. That,” she pointed to the vampire Angel held, “Is James Campbell, he’s in our history class, he dressed as a vampire so he…”

“Became a vampire.” Angel finished for her.

“Ah, speaking of the princess, where is she?” Xander asked as he looked around the kitchen for her.

“She ran.” Angel said as he knocked out James, he shrugged at Cordelia’s’ glare, “I didn’t stake him and I couldn’t just leave him.” He defended before he added, “She saw my game face and ran, we’ll have to go and find her.”

Cordelia rolled her eyes as she followed the two boys out of Buffy’s house. It figured, she thought, only the slayer would get herself into trouble trying to impress a boy.

 

****

 

When Willow left Buffy’s house she headed to the one place she knew she would get the answers she needed. She walked through the halls of the school as she made her way to the library and Giles.

“Oh, good lord.” Giles jumped as Willow walked through the wall as he dropped his cup of tea in fright.

“Hi, Giles.” She smiled weakly at hm.

“What…what?”

“Yeah, that’s kinda how I’m feeling.” She tried to joke before she quickly explained what had happened.

“And…you…you’re …you’re…”

“A ghost.” She answered.

“And Cordelia was turned into a …cat?”

“Yes…No! She was still Cordelia.” Willow frowned.

“Cordelia didn’t change?”

“No, she didn’t. In fact, she wasn’t the only one I noticed that hadn’t changed.” She frowned, her eyes brightened as she said, “Her costume! She didn’t get her costume from the same place as us.”

“You mean the ones who changed?” Giles asked.

“Yes, we got our costume from the new place. Ethan’s.”

“Then I think we should check it out?” Giles said as he stood up and gathered his jacket as they headed out of the library.

 

****

 

Spike stood shrouded in the shadows, with a few of his minions, as they watched Xander, Angel and Cordelia search for the lost Slayer.

He smirked as he overheard them talk about how the Slayer was defenceless. He turned gleefully to his men and said, “Did you hear that? Somewhere out there is the tastiest meal you will ever have. All we have to do is find her first.”

 

****

 

Willow and Giles slowly entered the store and cautiously looked around the dark and empty store.

“Hello, is anyone there?” Giles called out.

“Giles.” Willow pointed to a curtained off area at the back of the store.

Giles nodded and the two made their way over, he pulled back the curtain and stepped into the small room and saw a statue in the middle of the room, its eyes glowed green.

“Janus.” Giles whispered.

“What?”

“Mythical Roman God. The division of self, male and female, light and dark…”

“Chunky or smooth. Oh, wait that’s peanut butter.” Ethan smirked as he stepped out of the shadows.

“Willow, go.” Giles as he stared at the other man in recognition.

“But…”

“I said go!” He growled at her, his eyes never left Ethan.

Willow eyed him nervously before she nodded and ran out of the store.

Giles waited until he was sure that she was gone before he said, “Hello Ethan.”

“Hello Ripper.”

 

****

 

As the group of friends searched the streets for the lost Slayer. Angel pulled Cordelia aside and asked, “What did you mean when you said her need to impress me?”

“Please tell me you’re not that blind?” She huffed.

“What?”

“She. Still. Likes. You.” She said as if she was talking to a small child, “She choose that dress to try and impress you.”

“But why did she think that a dress would impress me?” He asked confused.

“Besides the fact, and I hate to admit this, that she looked hot in the dress.” She scowled before she added, “I saw her at school this morning, she was reading one of the Watcher's Dairies, one about you. It had some pictures of ladies dressed like that.”

Before he could respond Angel saw Xander turn and run down a dark alleyway. Angel and Cordelia followed and witnessed Xander tackle pirate Larry off a cowering Buffy. The two fought as Angel and Cordelia moved to check on Buffy.

“Are you okay?” Cordelia asked.

Buffy cowered behind some boxes as she pointed to Angel and whimpered, “He…he’s a demon.”

“Yes, but he’s a good demon.” Cordelia said.

“Re…really?”

“Yes.” Cordelia huffed, “He’s our friend.”

Buffy stood up and took a tentative step towards them. Xander had finished his fight with Larry and had walked back to the trio when Willow came running down the alley.

“Guys.” She said as she drew near, “Guys you gotta get inside.”

“Willow?” Angel said, slightly shock at her appearance.

“Inside! Now!” She insisted as she ignored Angel and looked behind her to Spike and his gang of monsters stalking down the alley.

“We need to find cover.” Xander said.

“Find an open warehouse.” Angel said as he began to push them back.

Spike and the others following them.

 

****

 

“What?” Ethan smirked, “No hugs? You know someone might get the impression that you’re not happy to see me.”

“I’m just…surprised.” Giles said, “Although I don’t know why. This childish prank stinks of you.”

“Well, I suppose it does.” Ethan smirked.

“And of course, you don’t care about the innocents you have put in danger.” Giles glared at him.

“Ah, it’s quite the act you’ve got going here, the protector of the innocents.” Ethan scoffed.

“It is not an act. It is who I am.” Giles defended.

“Who you are?” Ethan laughed, “Is that what you tell yourself, so you can have a goodnight sleep? Is it what you tell those kids to get them to trust you?”

“Break the spell, Ethan.” Giles said, ignoring his taunts.

“No.” Ethan shrugged.

“I’m only going to give you one more chance. Break the spell.” Giles stated.

“Or what?”

Rather than answer Ethan, Giles took a step towards him and punched him in the stomach and quickly followed it with a punch to the face. Ethan fell to the floor. Giles stepped over him and knelt down, gripped his hair in his left hand as he asked, “How do I break the spell?”

“Say pretty please.” Ethan smirked.

Giles growled as he began to repeatedly punch him.

“The…the st…statue…break the statue…” Ethan panted.

Giles stopped his punches and stood up and walked over to the statue, picked it up and smashed it on the floor.

Giles turned back and saw that Ethan had gone.

 

****

 

“In here.” Angel said as he led them into an empty warehouse. Angel and Xander barricaded the door. The banging on the other side announced the arrival of Spike.

“It’s not going to hold.” Xander said, “We need to move.”

“Everybody get to the back.” Shouted Angel as he guided everyone away from the doors.

The loud crash of Spike and his monsters breaking down the door announced their arrival and they quickly surrounded Angel and his friends.

“Take them.” Spike shouted as he stalked a terrified Buffy back into a pile of crates, “The Slayer is mine.”

Angel, Xander and Cordelia struggled as they were captured and held and made to watch as Spike taunted Buffy.

“Look at you. Terrified little lost lamb.” Spike purred, he slapped her across the face and laughed as she cried. He leaned into her forcing her to fall back against the crate, as he prepared to bite her.

Xander managed to break free and held up the M-16, only he frowned when he saw it was back to the toy gun.

“What the…” he said as he looked around the warehouse and saw that all the little ‘monsters’ had turned back into children who were crying for their moms, “What…what just happened?”

Spike pulled back from Buffy and looked around at the chaos before he turned back to her. She smiled at him as she sat up.

“Hi, honey. I’m home.” She smirked as she punched him. He staggered back and picked up a pipe. As he and swung it at her, Buffy easily caught it, ripped it out of his hands and hit him with it. She smirked and flung him across the warehouse, “It’s good to be me.”

He growled as he stood up before turning and running away.

Xander walked over to her and said, “Hey, welcome back.”

“Yeah, you too.” She smiled back at him.

“You guys remember what happened?” Cordelia asked.

“Yeah, it was creepy.” Xander frowned, “It was like I was there, but I couldn’t do anything.”

Angel came up behind him and brushed a hand through his hair and down his back and asked, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He smiled at him; he looked around the room and all the crying children and said, “We should get them back.”

Angel nodded and he and Xander began to organise the children and herded them out of the warehouse.

Cordelia turned to follow but she when she saw Buffy glaring at Angel and Xander she paused and said, “Give it up Buffy. You’re not going to get between them.”

Without waiting for a response, she turned and joined the two men to help with children. Cordelia's head snapped up as she looked around the room before she asked, “Where did Willow go?”

 

****

 

Willow gasped as she sat up and ripped the sheet of her head. She leaned back against the house as she calmed her breathing down. She stood up and began to walk back to the school before she remembered what she was wearing under the sheet, she went to put the sheet back on, only to shrug, dropped the sheet she and started on her way again.

A van pulled to a stop at the intersection and Oz, the driver watched as Willow crossed the street. He smiled as he mumbled, “Who is she?”

Oz watched her walk away. He remembered seeing her at the Cultural Exchange dance. He was on the stage when he first spotted her dancing with her friends. He had wanted to ask her to dance but she had disappeared by the time he had gotten off the stage. Ever since the dance he had come across her a few times and every time he had tried to approach her she was busy with her friends or gone by the time he could reach her.

 

****

 

Angel stood back and watched from the shadows as Xander and the others reunited scared children with their parents. Soon the school was empty and Angel met up Xander and the others in the library.

“What happened to you?” Xander asked Willow after he had hugged her.

“After the spell was broken I woke up where my body had collapsed.” She shrugged.

Angel walked up behind Xander and placed his hand on Xander lower back as he asked Willow, “Do you want us to walk you home?”

“Yeah, thanks.” She smiled at him.

“Cordelia?” He asked.

“No, I have my car.” She smiled at him.

Angel nodded and then herded Willow and Xander out of the library and made their way home. Angel trailed behind the two friends as they talked quietly. He couldn’t stop thinking about what Cordelia had said about Buffy. He cleared his throat as he pulled Xander to the side and said, “Hey, are you okay taking Willow home yourself?”

“Yeah, why? Where are you going?”

“There’s something I need to take care of.” Angel answered.

“Spike?” Xander asked.

“No, not this time. We’ll have to deal with him at some point but right now there’s something else that takes priority.”

“Is everything okay? Are you okay?” Xander asked concerned.

“I’m fine. Everything is okay, just something I need to do.” He reassured Xander as he placed a tender kiss on the boy’s temple, “Go home. I’ll see you soon.”

Xander nodded before he kissed Angel and turned to walk Willow home. Angel stood there and watched until the two were out of his sight then turned and walked in the opposite direction. So, lost in thought, he was unaware of being watched.

 

****

 

Spike watched in stunned silence as Angel and the boy talked quietly. The tender kiss goodbye had him choking in surprise.

He had had his men focused on studying the slayer because he was told that they were in a relationship. He thought that he could use them against each other, be each other’s weak spot, but it seems that his sources were mistaken and he’d have to start anew.

Starting with finding out everything he could about the boy.

 

****

 

Angel climbed through the window and sat on the ledge and waited. He could hear her moving about in the bathroom. The light switched off and the bathroom door opened and Buffy stepped into her bedroom.

“Angel.” She smiled when she saw him, “Hi.”

Angel straightened up and stood in front of her and asked, “Why did you wear that dress?”

“I wanted you to see me in it.” She smiled triumphantly at him, thinking that because he was here in her room she had won, “I wanted to remind you of the girls when you were my age.”

Angel nodded as he trailed his eyes up and down her body. He walked until he was stood close and whispered in her ear, “Oh, I definitely noticed.” He smirked when he felt her breath shudder, “And you did remind me of the girls from my past.” He ran a finger down her check as he added, “You reminded me of how much I hated the girls back then, especially the rich and spoilt little girls.”

Buffy gasped and jerked back from him.

He smirked as he continued, “They were dull and boring, not to mention simpering idiots. I always wished that I could find someone more …interesting. And I found him and I’ll do anything to protect him. I already warned you about hurting him, but for some reason Xander wants to try and save your friendship. So, for his sake, you should consider this your last chance because next time I won’t be so nice about it.”

Buffy watched as he started to climb back out the window. She had stop to him. She knew he wanted her, she just knew it. She swallowed heavily as she called out, “When we were under that spell, you protected me. Not Xander but me.”

He paused half way out the window as he looked back at her and smirked as he answered, “Even under a spell Xander knew how to protect himself. You, on the other hand were weak and defenceless, and because Xander and Willow consider you a friend and want you alive, I had to protect you. Personally, with the way you’ve been treating Xander I would have been happy to leave you to Spike.” With one last smirk, he jumped out the window.

 

****

 

Angel quietly entered his apartment and spotted Xander curled up on the couch with a book and a bowl of ice cream.

“Hey. Get everything sorted?” Xander asked.

“Yeah, I think so.” Angel nodded as he took off his jacket and kicked off his shoes. He sat down beside Xander and stole the spoon from him and took a bite of the ice cream.

“Hey!” Xander mock glared at him and put his arm around the bowl to shield it from Angel, “Get your own.”

“But I thought you liked me.” Angel pouted.

“I do, but I like this more.” Xander joked through a yawn.

“Tired?” He asked him.

“Yeah, little bit.” He nodded sleepily.

Angel curled an arm behind Xander’s back and pulled him into his arms and settled him against his chest as he asked, “What are you reading?”

“Dorian Gray.” Xander answered with a blush as he added, “I …ah…I handed in my Lit essay early, so Mr Griffen asked me to read this and write a report on it for some extra credit.”

Angel just hummed as he ignored the blush. He knew that Xander was still sensitive about his education and the progress he was making, so he changed the subject as he said, “I haven’t read this one in a while, read it to me?”

“Okay.” Xander agreed as he settled more comfortably and began to read as Angel feed them both the rest of the ice cream.


	7. Lie To Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I took my time posting this chapter because I'm not 100% happy with it. I had to re-write it completely as I lost all my notes on it, but hopefully you'll like it.
> 
> EDIT: Sorry should have said this before but the spell that Xander cast on the Whitelighters and the incident that leads up to the spell is in a pre-season two story that I am in the middle of writing. It's on the back burner for now as I concentrate on piecing together my lost chapters for S2 and my Malec Fic, but I hope i get back to soon.

Lie to Me

 

 

Xander sighed as he walked along the rooftop, he had climbed the building to get a better view of the town as he patrolled. Normally he didn't mind patrolling, he enjoyed it, in fact, but it was a quiet night and he was on his own as Angel was out of town and wasn’t due back until tonight. Buffy still wasn't talking to him and had convinced Willow to help her study for French while they patrolled.

He heard some voices and walked to the edge of the rooftop and stared in shocked surprise as he saw Angel standing close to a tall, dark, beautiful woman. He moved a little closer, being careful not fall over the edge, to try and hear what they were saying.

“This can't go on Drusilla. It’s gotta end.” Angel said, he stood still as the woman leaned in close as if to kiss him.

“Oh no, my pet. This is just the beginning,” She whispered. She pulled away, without the kiss, but gave him a small evil smile as she backed away. Angel watched her as left before he turned and walked away. Xander stepped away from the edge, troubled he decided to call it a night, going home to his parents’ house rather than Angel's apartment.

 

*** **** ***

 

“It's a secret,” Jenny smirked at Giles from where she leaned against the library counter.

“Ah... what kind of secret?” Giles asked as he walked out of his office, a pile of books in his arms.

“It’s the kind where you don't tell anybody,” She smirked at him.

“You know I was under the impression that one shared information of the evening they planned to spend together.” Giles said.

“Where's your sense of adventure, English,” She laughed at him as she stood up and added, “Tomorrow night, 7:30 pm,” Before she turned and walked out of the library, she smiled at Xander as she passed him as he entered the library.

“Good morning, Xander,” Giles said, “How was last night?”

“Quiet, no vampy activity,” He shrugged.

He frowned at Xander as he asked, “Are you okay, you seem a little...glum?”

“Fine,” Xander shrugged, “Little tired.”

“Well, I'll check in with Buffy, if she says she too had a quiet night, I think you're both due a night off,” Giles said, and smiled slightly as he asked, “Angel's back tonight, right?”

“Yeah, tonight, but I think I'm gonna see what Willows doing tonight first,” He shrugged and said, “I should get to class.” before he turned and walked out the library missing the concerned look on Giles' face.

 

***

 

Xander sat slumped in his seat as he let the class discussion go over his head. He looked at Willow, who was sat beside him as she read the note he had just passed to her. She frowned before she quickly scribbled something down and passed it back to him.

Xander quickly looked to see it was safe before he took the note and read it.

 

_“Do you know who she is?”_

 

He quickly wrote back and handed her the note back.

 

_“No, Dark hair, old dress. Pretty.”_

_“Vampire?”_

 

He shrugged as his answer and stuffed the note in his pocket as the bell rings. They quickly gathered their things and walked out of the classroom.

“Xander?” Willow asked.

“I don't know. I don't think so, but they did seem pretty friendly.”

“I'm sure everything is fine, you just need to talk to him,” Willow said as they walked to Willows locker.

“Talk to who?” Buffy asked as she joined them.

“Nothing... Nobody...Giles...did you talk to Giles. He said we could have the night off,” He said as he smiled at Willow as she closed her locker and they began to walk towards the common area, “I'm thinking dance party at the Bronze?”

“I don't know,” Buffy shrugged, “I'm not really feel...”

“I'd suggest a box of Oreo’s dunked in apple juice, but she could have outgrown that phase,” A male voice offered behind them.

Buffy turned and surprised she said, “Ford?!”

“Hey, Summers. How you been?” He asked as he hugged her.

“Wh... What are you doing here?” She asked shocked.

“My dad got a transfer, so I'm finishing my final year here at Sunnydale,” Ford answered.

“That's great,” She smiled as she pulled him down to sit beside her own the couch.

“Glad you think so, wasn't sure you would remember me,” He smiled at her.

“Remember you,” She mock pouted at him, “You were my fifth-grade crush.”

“So, you two know each other?” Willow asked as she and Xander sat down on the opposite couch.

“Oh, sorry.” Buffy laughed as she waved to the new guy, “This is Ford, Billy Fordman. Ford this is my best friend Willow and this is Xander.”

“Hey.” Ford nodded at them.

“Hi,” Willow and Xander both said as Willow offered a small wave.

“Ford and I went to school together back in LA,” Buffy explained. She turned to him and said excitedly “This is great.”

“So, were you guy’s sweeties back in LA?” Willow asked.

Xander stopped listening as Buffy began to explain her past with Ford. His thoughts began to drift as he thought about his and Buffy's friendship. He didn't miss the way she had introduced him. Willow was her best friend, he wasn't. Ever since Halloween she barely acknowledged him. He knew she was still upset about his relationship with Angel, but he was hoping that with time she would get over it, now he knew she hadn't and that she probably never would.

“Xander?” Willow asked breaking into his thoughts.

“Sorry, I was drifting.” he blinked at her.

“S'okay.” She smiled at him, “We were talking about going to the Bronze tonight, you still wanna come?”

“Yeah, yeah.” He nodded.

“Okay, then. It's a plan,” Ford said as he stood up. “I gotta go and find the admissions office, get my papers in order.”

“I'll walk with you,” Buffy said as she stood up, “Bye Willow,” She said as she followed Ford.

As they watched the two old friends leave Willow suddenly gasped and said, “Oh that's what that song means.”

“What?” Xander asked as he frowned at her.

“Nothing. Nothing,” Willow said as she blushed bright red as she stood up and said, “I need to go to the library. I'll see you later.”

“Okay,” He said bemused, as he watched her rush off to the library.

 

****

 

Xander groaned as he watched Ford sink another ball into the corner pocket of the pool table. Willow laughed silently as she watched Xander frown at the table as he studied it.

“You made it?” Buffy said as she joined them.

“Wasn't hard to find.” Ford shrugged, as he watched Xander miss his shot before they switched places.

“You're late, everything okay?” Willow asked her.

“Yeah, fine,” Buffy nodded at her before she turned and smiled at Ford and asked, “I see they've been keeping you entertained.”

“Well, I think it's more like Fords been keeping us entertained, he’s been telling us all about the ninth-grade beauty contest.” Xander tried to tease.

Buffy ignored him and told Ford, “Stop that, the more people you tell, the more I'll have to kill.”

“You can't touch me; I know all your dark secrets.” Ford joked.

“Wouldn't bet on it,” Xander muttered bitterly. He handed the cue stick to Willow as he said, “I'm gonna get a drink.” and headed to the bar, where he bumped into Angel, “Ah, hey what...what are you doing here?”

“I was looking for you.”

“Oh, did ...did you just get back into town?” Xander asked.

“Yes,” Angel nodded.

“Oh,” Xander frowned, not sure what to say at Angel's lie he turned and rejoined the others.

Angel frowned, confused, as he followed the boy to his friends.

“Hey, Angel?” Willow greeted him.

Angel smiled briefly at her before he turned back to Xander, who continued to ignore him.

“Hey,” Buffy smiled at him and said, “This is Ford, we went to school together back in LA,” She gestured to Ford, “Ford this is our friend Angel.”

“Nice to meet you,” Angel said not taking his eyes off Xander.

“You too,” Ford nodded at him, eyebrow raised as he took in the now tense atmosphere.

Angel watched Xander in concern as everyone talked quietly amongst themselves as they made plans, he wasn't sure what was wrong. Everything had been fine before he left town, but something was upsetting his boy and he didn't know what it was, he briefly thought it might have something to do with the Slayer but immediately dismissed it as he couldn't sense any tension between the two former friends.

“Hey, Angel are you coming?” Willow asked, breaking into his thought. She shrugged as she ignored the glare that Xander threw at her.

“Ah, I think I'm just gonna head home,” He said as he looked at Xander, who shifted uncomfortably as he avoided looking at Angel, he frowned as he asked the boy, “Are you ...will I see you tonight?”

“I... I’m not sure,” He answered, still unable to look him in the eye.

“Xander...Okay,” He nodded sadly before he turned and walked away.

They quickly gathered up their things and made their way out of the club, Buffy and Ford walked ahead talking quietly as Xander and Willow trailed behind.

“Are you okay?” Willow asked.

“He lied to me.”

“What?”

“I asked him if he had just gotten into town tonight, he lied to me and I know he lied because I saw him last night, with the pretty lady.”

“Okay, but maybe he had a reason...”

“No. We promised each other we would never lie to each other, he...” he was cut off as they heard some scuffling inside an alley.

Buffy looked back to them before she turned to Ford and said, “I forgot my purse. Could you go back and get it for me?”

“I'll come with you,” Willow offered as she took his arm and began to drag him back to the club.

Xander and Buffy ran into the ally. Ford looked back and saw that they had gone; he ignored Willow as she asked him to come back as he made his way back to the ally, just in time to see Xander dust the vampire.

“What's going on?” He asked.

Xander and Buffy spun around surprised to see Willow and Ford stood in front of the ally.

“Sorry guys,” Willow winced.

“There was a...”

“Cat.” Buffy finished for Xander.

“Right a cat,” Xander said as he looked at Buffy with scepticism.

“And then there was another cat.” Buffy finished as she ignored Xander and added, “And they fought...”

Xander winced at Willows silent laughter and Buffy’s lame excuse.

“Oh, I thought you were just slaying a vampire,” Ford said

“What!!” exclaimed a surprised Xander and Willow.

“Whating a what?!” Buffy said stunned.

“I know, Buffy. I've been trying to find a way to tell you all night. I know you’re the Slayer,” Ford explained.

“Well, I see that you two have some talking to do, so I'm just gonna walk Willow home and leave you two to it.” Xander rambled as he walked over to Willow and took her arm and dragged her out of the ally leaving behind a stunned Buffy and Ford.

 

***

 

“Can I stay with you tonight?” Xander asked as they made their way up to her house.

“Of course,” she smiled at him, she unlocked the door and they both made their way up to her bedroom, “Do you wanna talk about you and Angel?”

“No, I think I'm just gonna wash up and get some sleep,” He sighed tiredly.

“Okay,” she smiled, “I think we still have some of your old sleep clothes here.”

“Thanks.” He smiled accepted the spare clothes and headed into the bathroom. After a quick wash and change, he headed into Willow's bedroom and found her lying in bed on the phone.

“Well, isn't that good news, Buffy?” She asked, “It's one less person we'll have to lie to... I know… well I guess... well no, I think that’s Xander's decision to tell Ford about him... yeah...okay, see you in the morning.” With that, she hung up and smiled at Xander as he climbed into bed, “Are you okay?”

“I'm fine,” He smiled trying to reassure her. “How's Buffy and Ford?”

“Good,” she nodded, “They seem to be handling the big reveal alright, and she hasn't told him about you. I told her it was up to you.”

“Yeah, I'm not sure.” He shrugged, “I just... I don't know... there’s something... I think I'll wait and get to know him better first.”

“I think it'll be okay,” She tried to reassure him, “I mean he was okay with Buffy, so...”

“I know. I'm just...I'm not sure...”

“What?” She asked with a frown.

“Just... don’t you think it’s a little convenient?” He asked with a shrug, “He turns up and he knows all about vampires and he knows that Buffy is the Slayer.”

“I'm sure it’s just a coincidence,” She said as she bit her lip.

“You’re probably right,” Xander shrugged, “I guess I could just be seeing things that aren’t there to stop thinking about Angel,” He finished with a yawn and settles down on the bed he added, “I'm just gonna get some sleep.”

“Okay, I just gotta finish some homework,” She smiled as she stood up and sat down at her table and booted up her laptop.

“Alright,” He mumbled already half asleep.

Willow smiled at him before she turned to her laptop and began to go over her homework. She frowned as she went over what Xander had said about Ford. She threw a quick look over her shoulder to reassure herself that Xander was asleep before she turned back to her laptop and her research on Ford.

“Watcha doing?” Xander mumbled as he sat up.

“Jeez, Xander,” Willow jumped and turned around to glare at him.

“Sorry,” He said with a small wince before he frowned and asked, “What are you doing?”

“You…what you said about Ford, it got me thinking so I …”

“Willow I told you I was…”

“You were right,” She interrupted him.

“What!!” He asked as he climbed out of the bed and walked over to her.

“He’s lying, Ford is lying to us,” She said as she looked up at him, “I did some research on him and I checked the school records and he’s not registered.”

“But he said he was getting transferred…”

“Yeah, he did,” She nodded as she turned back to her laptop and said, “And that’s not all. He leaves no paper trail, no records, nothing but this address. The Sunset Club.”

“And that’s not suspicious at all,” Xander said.

“Right,” she nodded, “So, we should tell Buffy, right?”

“No, not yet.”

“Why not?”

“Because it could be nothing. We could be over reacting.”

“But… but it's Buffy…I can’t lie…not to her…”

“I’m not saying we lie to her, just… don’t bring it up.”

“Right, okay…alright... cause you’re probably right. It could be nothing.” She said, with a firm nod.

“Right, nothing,” Xander said with a doubtful look.

 

*** **** ***

 

Ford quickly made his way through the dark streets of Sunnydale as he made his way to the Sunset Club. Dark gothic music played loudly in the club, as people dressed in black clothing and pale make-up talked and danced.

“Ford?”

Ford turned to see a young dark haired walk up to him, “Diego.”

“Hey,” Diego smiled at him, “How did it go?”

“Fine,” Ford said, “Things are falling into place, all you need to do is make sure everything is ready on your side, true believers only.”

“Everything will be ready,” Diego assured him.

“I can’t wait,” A young, tall blonde girl joined them.

“Right!” He smiled excitedly at her, “A couple more days and we can do the two things that ever teenagers want, die young and stay pretty.”

 

*** **** ***

 

“Willow?!” Buffy called out as she spotted her friend at the fountain. She frowned as she saw Willow jerk back and tensed before she walked away from her and Ford. Confused she rushed after her as she called out, “Willow, wait!”

Willow stopped and closed her eyes as she took a deep breath and turned back to Buffy and said, “Hi, Buffy!”

“What’s up?” She asked.

“Nothing! I was …I was just… work… have some work…in the… in the lab…” Willow rambled as she fidgeted.

“Okay, Wills, fess up.” Buffy frowned ad her, “Have you been drinking coffee again, cause we’ve talked about this.”

Willow laughed loud and fake before she nervously explained with Ford, “It makes me jumpy. I have to…go…away…”

“She’s a very strange girl,” Ford murmured as they watched Willow walk away from them.

“Yeah,” Buffy said fondly.

“Buffy!!” She jumped as Giles called out to her. She turned and watched as Giles and Xander walk down the hall towards her and Ford. “What’s up?”

“As I’ve already explained to Xander, Je…Ms Calendar and I are going on a… somewhere tonight and … and she’s given me the number to her beeper…thingy, so in case you need any…study …help…”

“He knows Giles,” Buffy said, “Ford knows that I’m the Slayer.”

“Oh! Good yes. Buffy if I could…” Giles said as he led Buffy off to the side, leaving Xander and Ford to stand in an awkward silence.

“So, did Buffy show you around town?” Xander asked.

“Ah, no…we didn’t get the chance.” He shrugged before he added, “But she promised to show us around tonight.”

“Well, it should be a fairly short tour, given that we don’t have much of a town here. Willow and I could meet up with you two at the Bronze?” Xander offered.

“I guess; I mean if it’s okay with Buffy.” Ford shrugged.

“If what’s okay with me?” Buffy asked as she re-joined them.

“Meeting up with Xander and Willow at the Bronze after you’ve given me the tour around Sunnydale.”

“I guess we could do that.” Buffy reluctantly agreed.

“Great, I should get to class, see you tonight.” With that Xander turned and began to make his way to class, but he could hear Ford as he asked Buffy.

“You don’t like him, do you?”

“No…yes…it’s complicated…I’ll tell you tonight.”

Xander frowned as he heard Buffy’s response. He knew they weren’t the best of friends any longer, but he was hoping that they would be able to repair their friendship, but he knew now that he would have to accept that would never happen. He shrugged his shoulders, he would be sad at the loss but at the end of the day it was her choice to be petty, he decided that he couldn’t be bothered going to class right now and changed his direction and made his way to the library.

He found Willow, Giles and Jenny sat around the table as they talked amongst themselves as they organised some books.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in history?” Willow asked.

“Not feeling too good,” He said as he sat down beside her.

“Are you okay?” Ms Calendar asked.

Xander ignored her as he spotted an old photo on the table. He picked it up and studied it as he asked, “Who is this?”

“She’s called Drusilla,” Giles answered, “A sometime paramour of Spikes. She was killed by an angry mob in Prague, I believe.”

“Well, they don’t make angry mobs like they used to,” He said as he handed the picture to Willow and said, “This is her. This is who Angel was talking to the other night.”

“Are you sure?” She asked.

“Isn’t Angel supposed to be one of the good guys?” Jenny asked.

“He is,” Xander mumbled as he stood up and began to walk out of the library, only to pause as Willow called out to him.

“What…what are you gonna do?” She asked.

“What you suggested yesterday. Talk to him,” He shrugged with a sad smile before he turned and walked away.

 

****

 

He knocked before he let himself into Angel’s apartment. Angel climbed out of bed and smiled when he saw Xander.

“Hey,” Xander said as he bit his lip nervously.

“Hey, school out already?” He asked as he frowned when he noticed how nervous Xander was.

“No, I just…I need…” he swallowed before he asked, “Where were you the other night?”

“I was out of town, coming home from LA, you know that,” Angel said.

“Oh.” Xander said sounding lost, he didn’t know what to think or feel with Angel lying to him. He knew Angel wasn’t ready to tell him everything about his past, but Angel had always been honest with him, at least he had thought he was; now he was starting to have some doubts. “I ah…I…ah… I need to go…”

“Xander?” Angel called out, confused.

Xander took a deep a deep breath and turned back to face him and asked, “Who’s Drusilla?”

Angel lowered his eyes, aware that Xander knows he had lied to him.

“And don’t lie to me?” Xander demanded.

“Some lies are necessary,” Angel argued, “Some of the time the truth can be worse. You live long enough and you’ll learn that.”

“I can handle the truth,” Xander insisted.

“Do you love me?” Angel asked.

“You know I do,” Xander said, “But I think I’m starting to doubt my trust in you.”

Angel goes to turn away, but Xander grabbed his arm to stop him and said, “No, not this time. Angel, I have let you brush things away because you weren’t ready to talk about them, but not now, I need you to tell me, to talk to me.”

Angel stared at him before he nodded. He pulled away gently as he paced and began to talk, “When I became a vampire I did a lot of things that I’m not proud of. Drusilla was one of the worst,” He turned to face him but still avoided eye contact, “She became a … obsession. She was sweet, pure and chaste.”

“And you made her a vampire,” Xander said.

“First I made her insane,” Angel said as he finally made eye contact, “Killed everyone she every loved, visited every mental torture on her that I could devise.” Xander’s the one that broke eye contact this time, “She eventually fled to a covenant, and in the day that she took her holy orders I turned her into a demon, a monster.”

“Well, I asked for the truth,” Xander said as he let out a shaky breath.

“Xander?” Angel asked as he took a tentative step toward the boy.

“Don’t,” Xander said as he held up a hand, “I just…I just need some time to think. Just…give me some time.”

Angel nodded and watched as Xander turned and walked out of his apartment without looking back. It was what he had been afraid of, Xander finding out who he really was, finally seeing the monster that he is and leaving him.

 

****

 

“I think you have now officially seen everything there is to see in Sunnydale,” Buffy said as she and Ford strolled down the dark street outside the school campus.

“Well I guess Xander was right, there’s not a lot of town,” He said he frowned as he noticed how she had tensed up at hearing Xander’s name, “So you wanna talk about it?”

“I told you it’s…”

“Complicated,” He finished for her, “I know, you said. I just thought you might wanna…” he trailed off as they spotted two vampires run across the campus towards the school, “Is that more vampires?”

“Yeah,” She answered absently as she pulled out her stake and cross, she handed the cross to Ford but he shook his head and pulled out his own stake and cross, she smirked as she whispered, “Stay close,” And followed the two vampires.

The blonde vampire jumped out of the shadows onto Buffy back. Buffy grabbed the vampire's arm and flipped her onto her back, as Buffy straightened up the second vampire jumped her and sent them over the railing, tumbling down the small hill.

Ford watched as Buffy and the male vampire fought before he looked over to the blonde female vampire. He stepped over to her and knelt beside her and held out the cross and placed the stake on her chest, “Tell me what I want to know and I’ll let you go.”

Buffy knocked the vampire down and quickly dusted him before she turned and ran back up the steps. She frowned as she found Ford alone, “Where did she go?”

“I killed her,” He said, at her amazed look he added, “I…staked her and … she… she turned to dust. It was…amazing.”

“Good…good for you,” She said with a confused smile.

 

****

 

When Xander left Angel’s apartment, he didn’t feel like going back to school and just walked around the town before he walked to his parents’ house and sat in his darkened bedroom as he tried to process what Angel had told him. He didn’t know what to think. His thoughts just kept going around in a circle. He knew Angel was a vampire, had accepted that he had been one of the most vicious and feared vampires before he had gotten his soul. But knowing that and hearing it, having it shown to him first hand were two different things and had left him confused about what he was supposed to be feeling.

He sighed as he ran a tired hand through his hair and looked around his bedroom; he noticed that he had moved everything that was important to him into Angel’s apartment. He didn’t think of this place as home anymore. Home was Angel’s apartment, with Angel. He groaned as he noticed the time and realised that school had closed and that he was supposed to meet up with Willow and talk about their next move with Ford. He stood up and made his way downstairs and ignored his dad passed out in his chair and left the house and made his way to the school.

The school was quiet as he made his way to the library. He smiled when he saw Willow sat at the table absorbed in her homework.

“Hey, how did it go?” She asked as he sat down beside her.

“About as good as I expected,” He told her, “He told me who she was and what happened.” They sat quietly both lost in thought. He took a deep breath before he asked, “So, do you have anything new Ford?”

“No, nothing,” She answered, going along with the change of topic.

“Then I guess we should go and check out that club,” He said.

“Okay, but Xander I still don’t feel good about keeping this from Buffy,” She said.

“I know and I promise that we’ll tell her everything once we’ve checked out the club. It could still be nothing.” He said as he stood up.

“Okay.” She nodded as she gathered their stuff and followed Xander out of the library.

 

****

 

Xander knocked on the door of the club and when the small viewpoint opened, he quickly said, “We’re friends of Ford.”

The doorman nodded and opened the door and let them in. They stood at the top stairs and looked around the dark and gloomy club. Willow looked down at her brightly coloured shirt and said, “Boy we blend right in.”

“Right in no way do we stand out like sore thumbs.” He agreed, “Let’s check out downstairs.”

“Okay, but do they stand out,” Willow asked as they walked downstairs.

“What?” He asked confused.

“Sore thumbs, do they stand out? I mean have you seen a thumb and went, ‘Wow that baby is sore.’” She trailed off as she blushed and said, “And you’re laughing at me.”

“No…I’m not…I’m not laughing, well okay maybe a little bit.” He chuckled.

“Shut up.” She scowled as she hit him painfully on the arm, “I can’t help how my mind works sometimes.”

“I love how your mind works.” He reassured her, he looked around the club again as he added, “And I hope your amazing mind is noticing the same theme that I’m noticing.”

“You mean the whole vampires yay,” She said as she stared at a young man dressed in a classic vampire costume where he stood in a coffin.

“That would be the one.” Xander agreed.

“You guys are newbies.” They turned to see a tall, slender blonde woman, “It’s cool that you’re open to it. We welcome anyone who’s interested in the Lonely Ones.”

“The Lonely Ones?” Willow asked.

“Vampires.” Angel answered as came down the stairs and joined them.

“Ah, we usually just call them the pointy bity ones.” Xander joked.

“So many people have that misconception, but they who walk with the night are not interested on harming anyone, they’re…”

“You’re a fool.” Angel bit out harshly.

“There’s no need to be so harsh. Other viewpoints may be valid.” She pouted as turned and walked away.

“What was that?” Xander snapped, “And what are you doing here?”

“I heard about a new vampire club that had opened.” Angel shrugged, “I came to check it out. I’ve heard about these clubs before, there mostly harmless. Children making up bedtime stories to comfort them in the dark, but occasionally you can find one with a few vampires preying on them.” He explained before he asked, “What are you two doing here?”

“There’s something up with Buffy’s friend Ford. He knew about Buffy being the Slayer and he hangs out here.” Willow answered.

“And you decided to investigate all on your own.” He glared at them.

“We weren’t sure at first,” Willow explained.

“I just had a feeling,” Xander said.

“Okay, so something is defiantly up,” Willow said, “What are we gonna do now?”

“I promised you that we would tell Buffy everything, but I think she would believe it better if it came from you.”

Willow nodded and said, “I think we should do it tonight. I don’t think it can wait anymore. Walk me to her house.”

“Of course,” Angel said as the three made their way out of the club.

 

****

 

“I’m sorry I interrupted your…date,” Buffy said with a grimace before quickly added, “But you said I should call you if something happened.” She explained as she, Giles and Jenny walked into the library.

“No, you absolutely did the right thing.” Giles insisted.

“You hated it that much?” Jenny asked him.

“Well…no…of course not…but vampires on school grounds…” he stammered.

“You could have just said you hated it.” Jenny huffed.

“I …I didn’t …I just…just…I have always had an interest in…monster trucks.”

“You took him to monster trucks?” Buffy asked, surprised.

“I thought it would be a change.” Jenny shrugged.

“Oh, it was.” Giles scoffed. “Nitro burning cars…”

“Okay, guys.” Buffy interrupted before they could start bickering, “Can we get back to the vampires that were on school grounds.”

“Yes, right, sorry.” Giles blushed.

“How’s your friend?” Jenny asked.

“I sent him home,” Buffy answered, “He was a little shaken up, although he did dust a vamp, gotta give him a little credit.”

“Yes,” Giles said as he headed into his office.

The blonde female vampire from before ran out of his office and bumped into Giles and knocked him down, Buffy ran over to fight her but was kicked in the chest fell onto of Giles, she stared after the retreating vampire in confusion.

“Are you okay?” Jenny asked as she helped them to stand up.

“She stole one of my books,” Giles complained.

“Well, at least someone is reading.” Jenny tried to joke.

“He said he killed her,” Buffy murmured.

“What?” Giles asked her.

“Ford, he said he killed her,” She repeated confused.

 

****

 

Willow knocked on the door as she bit her nervously as she waited for Buffy to answer, “Hey, can I come in?”

“Sure,” Buffy said as she stepped back and made her way into the kitchen and started to make some coffee for them.

“We…I need to tell you something,” Willow said as she shifted nervously from foot to foot at the kitchen counter.

“Willow should I be giving you this coffee,” Buffy teased.

“Yes…no…” Willow took a deep breath and said, “Its… it’s about Ford. He’s not…not who he… he’s not telling the truth…He’s been lying to us…to you…” At Buffy’s blank look she quickly added, “Xander and I tracked him down on the computer and…”

“Xander?”

“And we found this address to this club, we checked it out with Angel and it’s…”

“Angel, wow it’s like a great big conspiracy,” she muttered bitterly.

“What is?” Willow frowned at her.

“Everyone I know lying to me.” Buffy glared at her.

“Buffy, we only lied because we weren’t sure at first, we wanted to be sure we were right so as not to cause any problems between you and Ford,” Willow explained.

“I know,” Buffy sighed as her shoulders slumped, “I know he’s lying about something. I just don’t know what.” Buffy quickly explained about the two vampires and the blonde vampire stealing the book.

“Are you okay?” Willow asked.

“I’m fine,” She said before she asked, “What did you find out about him?”

“Angel said that the club is a part of a society that admires vampires, worships them. We don’t know what Ford wants from you, but we do know that you can’t trust him.”

“Okay,” Buffy nodded sadly before said sighed and said, “You should…I’m tired and I should get some rest…do you need me to walk you home?”

“No, it’s okay, Xander and Angel are waiting outside.”

“Of course they are,” She muttered.

“Buffy…”

“I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Willow said sadly and turned to leave but stopped as Buffy called out to her.

“Thank you, for looking out for me. I just…”

Willow nodded and turned to walk out the house.

 

****

 

Xander sat on the front steps of Buffy’s house and watched as Angel paced back and forth.

“Can you stop, your making me dizzy.” He tried to joke.

Angel sent him a weak glare before he huffed and sat down beside him, “How…how are you?”

“I’m okay,” Xander said as he reached out and took Angel’s hand and laced their fingers together as he said, “We’re okay. I just…it’s…I know you’re a vampire and, when we found out about you being a vampire Giles had us research on you so I know some of the stuff you’ve done, from reading some of the Watcher’s Diaries and stuff. I know you’re not ready to tell me everything, but I guess,” he paused as he took a deep breath and tried to gather his thought, he added, “I guess reading about it and hearing it from you, I just …wasn’t prepared, I guess.” He paused before he added, “It wasn’t really what you told me that upset me, it was that you lied to me. We promised that we would be honest with each other, always. I get that you’re not ready to tell me everything yet, but don’t lie to me.”

“Okay, I was …I didn’t want to lie to you I was just trying to protect you,” Angel nodded, he tightened his hand on Xander’s and said, “And I was scared, I just… I got scared… I was afraid that if you really saw me as I once was that you…you wouldn’t …want to be with me anymore.”

“Well, that’s just stupid,” He smirked at Angel.

Angel laughed and bumped his shoulder into Xander’s.

They sat in silence, enjoying the peaceful company as they waited for Willow.

“How do you think it’s going in there?” Xander asked.

“Not good,” Angel shrugged, “But sending Willow in there was a good idea, if we had gone in she wouldn’t have listened to us, at least Willow has a chance of getting her to listen.”

“I know.” Xander sighed sadly as they fell into a comfortable silence as they waited for their friend.

Soon Willow came out of Buffy’s house with a sad look on her face.

“Hey, how’d it go?” Xander asked her as he and Angel stood up.

“Not good,” she said as joined them. “She already knew he was lying about something, he lied about killing a vampire and a book was stolen from the library, but she doesn’t know what he’s up to exactly.”

“She knows what’s going on now,” Xander said, “We’ll just have to wait and see what happens. Come on we’ll walk you home.”

Willow nodded and the three began the walk home. As they walked Xander could feel someone watching him, he turned back to see if he could see anyone, but he never could.

“You okay?” Angel asked when he saw Xander turn back for the third time.

“Yeah, just tired.” Xander smiled at him, but he couldn’t help but look back one last time to see if anyone was there.

 

****

 

“This is so cool,” Ford said excitedly.

Spike spun and saw Ford stood among some crates.”

“Do I have anyone on watch here,” Spike snarled as he stalked over to Ford and grabbed him by the throat and smirked as he added, “Or did we finally find a restaurant that delivered.”

“I came looking for you Spike,” Ford gasped, “You are Spike, right? William the Bloody?”

“Oh goody, you’ve done your homework,” Spike snapped, hand tightening around the boy’s throat, “Now I don’t have to threaten you to tell me why I shouldn’t kill you.”

“No, no, no, you’re doing it all wrong.” Ford huffed, “You’re supposed to take out your watch and threaten me with 30 seconds...”

“Well, I’ve never been much for traditions.” Spike snarled as he lifted Ford off his feet.

“Wait, love,” Drusilla said as she walked up behind him and placed a calming hand on his shoulder.

Spike grumbled as he dropped the boy to the floor and stepped back. Drusilla turned Spike towards the blonde vampire that Ford had let live, he smiled as he saw the book she was holding.

He took the book from her and quickly flipped through it before he turned back to Ford and asked, “What is it you want?”

“Oh come on, you have to do it,” Ford whined.

“Bloody hell,” Spike muttered with a roll of his eyes. He handed the book to Drusilla and stalked over to the boy and snapped, “Fine, you have 30 seconds to tell me what you want or I’m gonna kill you.”

“This…this is the best,” Ford said, excitedly, “I wanna be like you, I wannabe a vampire.”

“That’s not happening,” Spike snorted, “I’ve only known you for two minutes and I already wanna kill you.”

“I can offer you a trade,” Ford said, “I can give you the Slayer.”

“Well, look who just got a little interesting,” Spike smirked at him, “But if I’m gonna have to put up with you for eternity your gonna have to give me a little more.”

“Like what?” Ford frowned.

“The Slayer has some friends, a vampire and a boy.”

“What about them?” He asked confused.

“I want them along with the Slayer,” Spike said with an eye roll.

“I don’t …” Ford began but Spike growled and he quickly added, “I don’t know much about them, they’re not really friends, but I can try and get them,” he shrugged, “I promise to try to get them, but I can guarantee you the Slayer.”

“Well, I believe that we have some things to discuss,” Spike smirked as he placed an arm around Fords shoulders and pulled him further into the warehouse.

 

*** **** ***

 

“Buffy!” Ford called out as she walked up the stairs to the school, she paused and waited for him to catch up to her.

“Hey,” he smiled at her.

“Hi,” she said with a strained smile.

“I had a great…well interesting time last night,” he told her.

“Yeah, me too.” She agreed.

“So, I have a surprise for you and the others, sort of a thank you for welcoming me to town.” He smiled at her.

“I’m not busy,” she shrugged, “Not sure about the others, but I can find out. I’m sure they’ll be happy to change their plans for you.”

“Great,” Ford smiled at her, “Meet me here a 9 tonight?”

“I’ll be here.” She nodded as she turned and walk away before she headed back into the school and ran into Willow.

“Hey,” Willow said as she gave Buffy a strained smiled.

“Hi,”

“Did…have you …have you figured out what Ford is up to yet?”

“No, but I will,” Buffy told her before she brushed past her and walked away, ignoring her as she called out.

 

****

 

Xander closed his locker and began to make his way to the library to join Willow and the others. It had been a strange morning so far; Buffy had been quiet and avoiding them all or she would brush Willow off whenever she tried to talk to her. He could understand that Buffy felt hurt and betrayed, but he was getting fed up seeing the hurt and sad look that was on Willows' face whenever Buffy would snap at her or ignore her.

He looked up and smiled when he heard Cordelia call out to him, he waited until she had caught up with him, seeing the concerned look on her face he asked, “Hey, what’s up?”

“I don’t know if it means anything but there were two guys at the Bronze last night and they were asking questions about you, about your friends and family.”

“What …what did they look like?” He asked.

“Tall, dark, black suits and they had the same tattoo on their neck,” She told them.

“Tattoo’s,” he said as he pulled out a pen, a piece of paper and handed it to her and asked, “Do you think you could draw it?”

“Yeah,” she nodded and she took the pen and paper and quickly sketched the tattoo before she handed it back to him.

Xander studied the sketch and swore as he recognised the tattoo. He shoved the paper into his bag and said, “I’m supposed to be meeting Willow and the others in the library, could you let them know that I had to go home, I need to tell Angel.”

“No,” she said, at his surprised look she quickly added, “I’m coming with you. I know I haven’t helped out much since school started, but I want you to know that if you ever need my help all you have to do is ask and I’ll be happy to help.” She waited until he had taken in what she said then added, “So, let’s go tell Angel.”

Xander flashed her a bright smile as he nodded and said, “Let’s go,” and followed her out of the school.

“We can take my car, it’ll be quicker.”

Xander nodded and followed her out to the car park.

“You recognised the tattoo?” She asked him

“I think so, but I want to get home and check the Book to make sure,” He said, “I thought I could feel someone watching us last night, you know that tickling in the back of your neck…”

“Kinda like that feeling I’m getting just know?” Cordelia asked as her eyes darted around the car park.

“Yeah,” Xander muttered as he grabbed Cordelia and told her, “Get down,” as a man orbed before them with a crossbow pointed at them, Xander threw his hand up and knocked the crossbow out of his hands. Cordelia shouted as another man orbed in behind them. Xander spun around and lifted his hand, but wasn’t quick enough as the arrow was released and nicked him in the arm. He grunted as he fell back against the car, he quickly jumped up with his hands up only to find the two men gone.

“Are you okay?” Cordelia asked as she helped him up and spotted that his arm was bleeding.

“I’m fine,” he reassured her, “It’s just a graze.”

“Come on, Giles must have a first aid kit in the library,” She said as she tried to drag him back into the school.

“No, I need to go home and tell Angel what happened. That was a Darklighter, it might have something to do with Balthazar.”

“Are you sure?” She asked.

“Yes,”

“Okay,” she frowned unsure, but still led him to her car.

Xander had a death grip on the cars dashboard as Cordelia stopped the car with a screech.

“Jesus, Cordy.” He breathed put as he pried his fingernails out of the dashboard.

“What?” She scoffed as she climbed out of her car.

Xander rolled his eyes as he climbed out and followed her into Angel’s apartment.

“You’re bleeding,” Angel said as soon as they had stepped into the apartment.

“Yeah, we got attacked by what I think were Darklighters,” Xander explained as Angel led him over to the couch.

Angel helped him take off his shirt as he inspected the cut he said, “It’s not too deep.”

He stood up and walked into the kitchen to get the first aid kit.

“How do you know that they were Darklighters?” He asked when he came back and sat down beside Xander and began to clean the cut.

“Cordelia saw them last night and I recognised the tattoo,” Xander explained as he winced at the sting from the antiseptic wipe.

“What do you know about Darklighters?” He asked.

“They’re the opposite of Whiltelighters,” Xander said, “They’re in the Book.”

“Cordy, could you?” Angel asked and he nodded to the Book as he began to bandage Xander's arm.

“I think they’re near the back of the Book,” he told her as she began to flip through the Book.

“Darklighters,” she mumbled as she searched, “Okay, I found them, ‘Darklighters are a breed of evil magical beings that can be considered the evil counterparts to Whitelighter’s. Their primary goal is to kill Whitelighter’s to make witches vulnerable, as well as to kill mortals destined to become Whitelighter’s…” she read aloud from the Book, “Darklighters often work as guns-for-hire for upper-level demons and leaders of the Underworld.”

“I’m guessing Belthazor or The Triad may be making a move,” Angel said as he secured the bandage. He frowned as he noticed how pale and sweaty Xander had become, “Are …”

“Angel!” Cordelia gasped, eyes widened in fear.

“What?”

“The arrow it... it’s covered in…”

“Poison…I don’t… I don’t feel…so good…” Xander gasped before he passed out.

“Xander!” Angel shouted urgently as he began to shake him lightly.

Angel turned to Cordelia and asked, “What does the Book about a cure?”

“There…there isn’t any,” She whispered.

“What?”

“It says ‘the arrows are dipped in poison for which there is no known cure’.” she read.

“There has to be something,” Angel said as he reached out and took the Book from her and began to read it for himself.

“Not in the Book…” she said, “But…The Book says that there is no known cure, but what if there is and it’s only known by those who made the poison, the Darklighters. What if they have a cure?” She waited for him to take that in before she added, “At the bottom of the page there is a spell to summon a Darklighter. What if we used it and made the Darklighter tell us if there’s a cure?”

“Cordelia, you’re a girl after my own heart,” He muttered darkly as he stood up and took the Book into the kitchen and began to prepare for the spell.

 

****

 

Ford walked down the stairs and into the darkened club. All his plans were falling into place, he thought smugly.

“Is everything in place?” He asked as he joined Diego and Chanterelle.

“Of course.” Diego huffed.

“Is it tonight?” Chanterelle asked eagerly.

“Yes, you nervous?” Ford asked.

“No,” she smiled at him, “I’m ready for the change.”

“What about your friends, are they coming?” Diego asked.

“What friends?” Ford frowned at him.

“The ones that came here last night,” Chanterelle said, with a pout she added, “One was mean.”

“They’re not gonna cause any trouble, are they?” Diego asked, worried about the look of anger that had crossed over Ford's face.

“Everything will be fine.” Ford tried to reassure him.

“It really won’t.” Buffy said from the top of the stairs as she began to make her way down the stairs she added, “I’m sorry Ford, but I just couldn’t wait for my surprise any longer.”

“It’s a little drafty in here,” Ford muttered to Diego, who nodded and walked away.

“So where’s my surprise, Ford?” Buffy asked once she stood in front of her.

 

****

 

Angel knelt beside the couch and ran a hand over Xander’s hand. He frowned at the fever the boy had spiked, he gently shook the boy awake as he whispered, “Xander, baby I need you to wake up for me, just for a minute.”

Xander groaned as he blinked sleepily as he mumbled, “Wh…what happened?”

“We’re going to summon a Darklighter,” Angel explained, “But we need you to say the spell.”

“O…okay,” He said as he tiredly sat up. Angel helped him to sit up and supported him with some pillows, “What…what do I have to say?”

Angel watched him and made sure he was steady before he handed him a piece of paper and told him, “We’re gonna find a cure.”

Xander just nodded and smiled tiredly at him, Angel smiled back at him before he turned to Cordelia and said, “You know you don’t have to stay for this.”

“Please,” she scoffed, “With wizard boy here sick, you’re gonna need my help.”

“If you’re sure.” He tried one more time.

“I’m sure.” She nodded as she stood in front of them, “Let’s get this done and save your boy toy.”

She smirked at the growl the joined growl and groaned ‘Cordy’ from Angel and Xander.

She grinned at them and turned to Xander and said, “Ready?”

Xander nodded and cleared his throat as he said, clearly if a little weak, “Ixo Mende Layto Sempar.”

At first nothing happened but then a small wind blew throw the room slowly picking up speed as a form began to take shape. Suddenly the wind stopped and in front of them stood a man dressed in black clothes and the Darklighter tattoo on his neck, “What… what …how did I get here?”

Cordelia gave him a cold smile as she threw a glass bottle at his feet, grey smoke engulfed him and he fell to the floor.

“What… what was…that?” Xander panted.

“It was a potion to knock him unconscious,” Angel said as he helped him to lie back down, “We found it in the Book.”

“And there’s many more interesting potions that Angel let me make,” She smirked evilly at them.

“She’s…she’s kinda…scary…” Xander breathed.

“Yeah, she is, but it’s why we like her,” Angel laughed, as he ran a hand over Xander’s head, “And that’s why we’re keeping her.”

“Yeah,” Xander sighed, “What…what are you…gonna do now?”

“We’re gonna make him tell us if the Darklighters have a cure for their poison,” He said darkly as he stood up and joined Cordelia in front of the unconscious Darklighter.

 

****

“What do you want Ford?” Buffy demanded, “What is this all about?”

“I don’t think you’d understand,” Ford said with a shrug he added, “But if you really must know, I’m gonna be one of them.”

“You wanna be a vampire.” She scoffed.

“I’m gonna be this one.” He insisted.

“Vampires are a little picky about who they turn.” She snapped.

“I know.” He shrugged smugly, “That’s why I offered them a deal they couldn’t refuse.”

“Me!” She growled, “You offered them me.”

“Yes.”

“What’s supposed to happen tonight?” She demanded.

“This is so cool. It’s happening just like I planned.” He snickered before he gloated. “It’s already happening.”

The sound of the door being closed and locked had Buffy up the stairs and banging on the door to try and get it opened. When it wouldn’t open, she turned around and glared at Ford.

“Rigged up special just for you,” He smirked up at her, “Can only be opened from the outside. Once the sun sets, they’ll come…”

“And kill everyone in this club.” She finished.

“No, they’re going to change us,” Chanterelle said, dreamily. “We’re going to become one with the Lonely Ones.”

“Lonely Ones.” She scoffed, “What you’re going to become is an all you can eat moron bar.”

“I think we should gag her,” Diego said.

“I think you should try.” She glared at him until he backed up, before she shouted out to the crowd, “Are you all stupid. Vampires are not some little cuddly teddy bears. They are coming here to kill all of you.”

Everyone just stared at her silently.

“6:27, sunset,” Ford said as he looked at his watch and turned off his alarm.

Buffy glared at him as she frantically looked for a way out.

 

****

 

Xander’s body ached and he was finding it harder to breath, he heard someone scream and turned his head to the side to see the Darklighter was writhing on the ground, cuts and bruises littered his body.

“We… there is no… we don’t have a cure,” the Darklighter panted, “We…we are immune to …the …the poison…so…don’t…” he quickly added as Cordelia held up a bottle of blue potion, “But…Whitelighter’s…”

“What about Whitelighter’s?” Cordelia asked as she took a step closer.

“A White…Whitelighter …might…be able to …heal …him…”

Cordelia turned to Angel and asked, “Do you remember the name of the Whitelighter we helped over the summer?”

Angel nodded, “Yeah, but I’m not gonna be calling that one.”

“Then who?” Cordelia frowned.

“Kraven!” Angel called out rather than answered, “Kraven!”

When Kraven still didn’t appear, Cordelia asked, “Do you think they’re listening. They haven’t been around since we helped that women with the ghost, and we didn’t listen to them.”

“Kraven said they’re always listening,” Angel told her as he called out again.

“Angel…”

“No, they will come.” Angel snapped as paced and promised darkly, “Because if they let Xander die when they could have saved him, I will find a way to get back up to the elders and destroy them all.”

“And I do believe that you would find a way of doing that.” A voice behind them said.

They spun around and glared at the Whitelighter who had orbed into the apartment.

“Can you cure him?” Angel growled.

“Yes,” He said as he walked past them and knelt beside Xander and placed his hands over his heart and head. As his hands glowed Xander’s breathing eased and his colour began turned normal. When he was finished, he stood up and turned to the other two and said, “He will be fine.”

Angel pushed past him and fell to his knees as he ran a hand through Xander’s hair, “Xander?”

Xander opened his eyes and smiled tiredly at him, “Hey.”

“Hey,” Angel smiled back as he let out shuddering deep breath, relieved.

 

****

 

Buffy ran around the club as she looked for a way out of the club. She snarled, frustrated when she couldn’t find one. She stormed up to Ford and snapped, “All these people, none of them are going to be turned, are they?”

“No,” he shrugged, “But I will, I’ll become immortal.”

“I hate to break it to you,” She huffed, “But that’s not how it works. You die and it’s a demon that comes back, not you. You just die.”

“Well, it's better than nothing.” He snapped back at her.

“And your life is nothing?” She frowned.

“I look good don’t I,” he spat at her angrily, “but they tell me I’ve got six months at best, but it won’t be me. I’ll be bald and shrivelled…” he scoffed as Buffy turned away, “Did I screw up your righteous anger?”

“I’m sorry about what’s happening to you.” She sighed as she turned back to face him, “But this, this is still wrong.”

“Yeah, well you try vomiting 24/7 and then we’ll talk,” he spat, “I don’t have a choice.”

“You have a choice” she snapped back, “It’s not a good choice, but you have a choice. What you’re choosing is murder.” The sounds of car doors being slammed shut she turned and pleaded, “Please Ford, you don’t have to do this.”

“Sorry,” he told her, sounding genuine.

“Ford, if those vampires come in here and kill everyone, I’ll kill you myself,” when he didn’t say she turned around and glared down from the balcony, “This is not a game, these vampires are here to kill you.”

Ford glared at her before he backhanded her, harder enough that she stumbled back and fell down the stairs.

 

****

 

“How are you feeling?” Angel asked as he wiped the sweat from his boys’ forehead.

“Tired,” Xander whispered weakly.

“You should get some more rest,” Angel said as he ran a hand soothingly over Xander’s head. He waited until he was sure he was settled again before he stood up and turned to the Whitelighter and said, “Thank you.”

“I was happy to…”

“Did you know he was sick before you came here?” Cordelia interrupted him.

“Yes.”

“Then why did you wait until we called for you to come and help him?” Angel growled angrily.

“I couldn’t.” The Whitelighter frowned.

“He was dying.” Angel snapped.

“We were aware, but we still couldn’t help until now.” The Whitelighter said still frowning in confusion.

“Because your pacifist?” Cordelia sneered.

“No, we had to wait until Xander was weak enough that we could break his spell.”

“What spell?” Angel asked

“You really don’t know?” the Whitelighter asked, shocked.

“Know what?”

“We haven’t been able to get in contact with you or Xander since you helped with Macy and her Whitelighter,” He explained.

“You mean the night you all almost let me and Angel die?” Cordelia scoffed.

“Well…I’m …you have to …understand ….”

“What do you mean you couldn’t get in contact with us?” Angel interrupted him, not wanting to hear their excuses again.

“Xander cast a banishment spell that night. We haven’t been able to get near you, Xander or Cordelia since that night. We didn’t come because we didn’t want to help, but because we couldn’t.” The Whitelighter explained.

“I don’t …remember…I didn’t do that…” Xander coughed behind them.

 

****

Buffy groaned as she stood up and looked around the room and took in the situation. Spike stood on the stairs with Chanterelle in his arm, drinking from her neck. There were other vampires scattered across the club attacking the club members.

She spotted Drusilla stood by herself on the balcony as she watched everything gleefully.

Buffy ran and jumped off the couch up to the balcony and quickly climbed over the rail and grabbed Drusilla from behind and held a stake to her chest.

“Spike!” She shouted.

Spike heads snapped up and growled at her. He dropped chanterelle and yelled, “Everybody stop!”

The vampires stopped what they were doing and turned to stare at him.

“Let everyone out or your girlfriend fits in an ashtray.” She snapped.

“Spike.” Drusilla whimpered.

“It’s gonna be alright baby.” He smiled at her before he shouted at his minions, “Let them all go!”

The vampires let them go and everyone ran out the club.

Once Buffy was sure everyone was out the club she turned to Spike and told him, “Down the stairs.”

Spike slowly backed down the stairs, never taking his eyes off the two girls. Buffy backed up keeping Drusilla between her and Spike. When Spike was halfway down the stairs, Buffy pushed Drusilla at him and ran for the door, slamming it shut as soon as she was out of the club.

Buffy walked about outside the club watching as people comforted and supported each other. She smiled sadly as she spotted Willow and Giles run towards her.

“Hey, you guys are just in time,” She told them sadly.

“Were there vampires?” Willow asked.

“There was, but they’re contained,” she reassured them, “They’ll get loose eventually, so we should leave. We can come back later.”

“For?” Willow asked.

“The bodies.” She shrugged as she walked away.

 

****

 

“Ah, where’s the handle?” Spike asked bemused as he turned to Ford, “We’re stuck in here while the Slayer is gone?”

“I held up my end of the bargain,” Ford shrugged, “I handed her to you.”

“Yes, I suppose you did.” Spike nodded as he walked up to Ford.

“So, where’s my reward?” Ford asked.

Spike smirked at him as he grabbed Ford by the throat.

 

****

 

“What do you mean you don’t remember?” The Whitelighter asked.

“I mean I …no I know I didn’t cast any banishment spell,” Xander said as Angel helped him to sit up, “In fact I’m not sure I even know any banishment spells.”

“Are you sure?” The Whitelighter frowned.

“Yes, I’m sure.” Xander snapped at him, “I remember that night vividly.” He finished with a shuddered as he remembered all that blood and almost losing Angel and Cordy.

The Whitelighter frowned before he crouched in front of Xander and held up his hand and asked, “May I?”

Xander shared a quick look with Angel before he turned back to the Whitelighter and nodded. The Whitelighter closed his eyes as he placed his hands and touched Xander’s head.

“Hmm, can you remember what you said?” He asked as he pulled back.

“I …I was… I was angry, really angry and I told the Whitelighter, Sam, to go away and to stay away and I might have said something about never wanting to see any Whitelighter again.” Xander said.

“I think… I think you cast the spell, but I …I don’t think you meant to…or realised…” the Whitelighter trailed off shocked and a little worried, “We were impressed that you were able to cast such a strong spell but now…now it’s a little concerning that you're casting a spell of that magnitude without realising you’re doing it.”

“I’m still learning.” Xander defended.

“Yes, we understand that.” He nodded as he stood up. He tilted his head as he listened to the Elders, “The Elders are considering binding your powers until you are able to fully control them.”

“No, you can’t do that.” Xander glared at him.

“Xander…”

“He said no.” Angel interrupted him, “And if we find out that you or the Elders are somehow interfering with his powers I’ll make sure it’s the last thing you do.”

“Thank you for healing Xander but I think you should leave.” Cordelia insisted and waved her hand at the unconscious Darklighter she added, “And take him with you.”

“Xander…”

“Leave,” Angel growled.

The Whitelighter gave a tired sigh as he nodded and walked over to the Darklighter and orbed out of the apartment.

“Do you think they’ll try to…” Xander trailed off anxiously.

“I think they understand the consequences if they try,” Angel said darkly.

Xander gave a tired groan as he tried to stand up.

“What are you doing?” Angel asked as he pushed him back down onto the couch.

“I was trying to sit up,” Xander huffed with a tired glare aimed at him.

“Xander you almost died, you should be resting,” Angel insisted.

“I will, but I just want to sit up,” Xander groaned as he pushed himself up and sighed tiredly as he slumped down against Angel.

“Are you okay?” Cordelia asked as she sat down beside him.

“I’m fine,” He tried to reassure them, but a huge yawn caused him to add sheepishly, “I’m a little tired,”

“How are you?” Angel asked her.

“I’m okay,” she shrugged.

“Cordy, what we did…”

“Was necessary,” she interrupted Angel, “Will I have some nightmares? Probably, but it was worth it. If we didn’t we would have lost Xander and that’s not acceptable.”

“No, it’s not,” Angel agreed as he tightened his arms around the now sleeping boy, before he gently picked him up and carried him over to their bed and laid him down making sure he was still asleep. He turned to Cordy and said, “Do you want me to me to walk you home or do you want to spend the night here?”

“I’ll take the couch.” She told him, seeing that how reluctant he was to leave Xander.

Angel nodded and turned to his dresser and pulled out a black t-shirt for her and handed it to her. She smiled at him as she accepted it and walked into the bathroom to quickly wash up and quickly change. Once she was done she left the bathroom to find that Angel had dressed the bed up in clean sheets. She looked over to the bed and found them both passed out, curled around each other. She quickly climbed into the couch and was asleep before her head the pillow.


End file.
